Even commonly consumed cannabis doses can ’significantly affect’ crucial driving skills, said a researcher.
By Catholics for Catholics
They may be yummy, but foods like cannabis gummies and other edibles impair people’s driving abilities, including hours after they have been consumed, according to a new study.
According to a story by the Epoch Times, the study was published in the JAMA Network Open journal on Aug. 31. The peer-reviewed study examined simulated driving performance after the consumption of cannabis edibles.
Performed in a Canadian hospital, the study investigated data of 40 people aged 19–45 years. They consumed gummies containing delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—the main psychoactive chemical in cannabis that causes brain-altering effects.
The Times reported that several mixes of THC and placebo edibles were given to achieve four doses of THC exposure—0 mg, 2 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg.
The study gauged the standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP), which evaluates how drivers adjust lane position and is used to measure the effects of medicines and illegal drugs.
Researchers found that SDLP was “significantly increased” at 20 mg and 10 mg doses compared with the placebo at two and five hours post-consumption, suggesting greater difficulty in maintaining lane position.
“Many people may underestimate the impairment caused by cannabis edibles,” Dr. Christine Wickens, co-author of the study, said in the statement. “Our findings show that commonly consumed doses can significantly affect critical driving skills, reinforcing the need for caution when making decisions about driving after use.”
In an April 20 statement, the University of Colorado Anschutz also reported similar conclusions. In these studies, people were made to use a driving simulator before and after consuming cannabis.
Cannabis was found to affect driving performance, especially lane-control measures, such as lane departures and weaving. Inhaling cannabis showed smaller and less consistent changes, while edible cannabis resulted in “more noticeable impairment, including slower speeds and increased lane variability and departures,” the statement said.
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