Weed and driving

[greenmatter]

so what ? even if youre right that doesnt make smoking & driving any better. because everybody fucks up driving responsibly its not right for you (all the stoners...) to do so. lose someone close to a traffic accident and you understand me.

cars are weapons so if your not 100% clear dont use it.

i was not saying driving stoned was a good idea. that is why i did not say it ........ not sure what you read into what i said.

 

[Strapped]

I wouldn't do it now because I am a responsible adult...

But back in the pizza delivery days it was all I would do. Bubbler in the center console, good good times. I've never been in an accident, and was always a safe driver stoned. I'd often be more conscious of unsafe driving while under the influence.

 

[wisco61]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20464803

Abstract
In the United States, one in six teenagers has driven under the influence of marijuana. Driving under the influence of marijuana and alcohol is equally prevalent, despite the fact that marijuana use is less common than alcohol use. Much of the research examining the effects of marijuana on driving performance was conducted in the 1970s and led to equivocal findings. During that time, few studies included women and driving simulators were rudimentary. Further, the potency of marijuana commonly used recreationally has increased. This study examined sex differences in the acute effects of marijuana on driving performance using a realistic, validated driving simulator. Eighty-five subjects (n = 50 males, 35 females) participated in this between-subjects, double-blind, placebo controlled study. In addition to an uneventful, baseline segment of driving, participants were challenged with collision avoidance and distracted driving scenarios. Under the influence of marijuana, participants decreased their speed and failed to show expected practice effects during a distracted drive. No differences were found during the baseline driving segment or collision avoidance scenarios. No differences attributable to sex were observed. This study enhances the current literature by identifying distracted driving and the integration of prior experience as particularly problematic under the influence of marijuana.

http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2010/05/study_marijuana_doesnt_affect_driving_performance.php

Actual facts are so darn pesky.

 

[Sativa King]

I drive stoned all the time with no problems at all. I find it makes me alot more of a cautious driver. I think it all depends on the individual though, mainly what tolerance they have. Newb smokers should def not be smoking and driving. I have been smoking for nearly 10 years now.

 

[Maj.Cottonmouth]

So what is wrong with all these damn sober people that my stoned ass manages to avoid hitting even when they do dumb shit. A person the other night took a three lane corner from the inside lane and ended up in the outside lane and would have sideswiped my car if I had not slowed down. Then the person gave me a dirty look like I did something wrong, fuck sober drivers, most of them suck.

 

[wisco61]

Its getting dangerous out there and cell phones are to blame. It used to be if you were behind a really shitty driver there was a 90% chance it was some 80 year old who could barely see over the steering wheel. Nowadays, its more likely to be a young male talking on a cell phone thats driving like a complete moron.

 

[Pulp]

i read somewhere that it was recommend to wait an hour after smoking before driving, do clubs or any of the various canna organization in med states have recommendations for best practice, or is it a gray area ?

I drive while high, never while actually smoking though, and I agree with this, but only for me personally, as said before everyone is different. I'm not stoned 24/7, but after waiting a while, not being on that initial 20 minutes buzz, I find driving fine. I make sure I'm driving at the speed limit and taking extra care, as long as no is distracting me it's all gravy. The only bad side is a spot of paranoia if you see a Police car, but then that wouldn't be a problem if legal

 

[supermanlives]

never had an accident . been smoking a longass time too. drove cars for a living once too.all day long pickup from dealership bring to rustproofing shop and return to dealership repeat. all new cars. not one accident.i try an not drive impaired anymore tho

 

[houndog]

I can find no reason that justifies driving while under the influence of mind altering substances. Think about it, before you hurt someone or yourself and just because you have done it many many times does not mean that it will never go wrong.

 

[Pulp]

Also, no idea how anyone can start to say that alcohol is better to drive with. For me I wouldn't want to drive after 2 or 3 beers even if legal!

 

[Duplicate]

never had an accident . been smoking a longass time too. drove cars for a living once too.all day long pickup from dealership bring to rustproofing shop and return to dealership repeat. all new cars. not one accident.i try an not drive impaired anymore tho

It doesn't matter! Didn't you read the study?! Your experience is wrong!

I can find no reason that justifies driving while under the influence of mind altering substances.

What about coffee or energy drinks? What about cough syrup?

Think about it, before you hurt someone or yourself and just because you have done it many many times does not mean that it will never go wrong.

Thanks, now I just decided to quit driving.

 

[wisco61]

How is everyone missing this? The 2 earlier articles linked tested levels of THC in people after a crash. It doesn't matter if they smoked 2 weeks earlier, if there was any in their system, it is considered to have caused the crash. Obviously, that has some major issues in logic and causality, but how is that any different than the rest of the bullshit surrounding weed.

Then I link an actual scientific study that proves in a true test, marijuana doesn't impair driving.

So we have one side that is complete bullshit and full of logical fallacies, and one side that is a double blind with placebo study. Yet people believe the bullshit news stories?

 

[narko]

It doesn't matter! Didn't you read the study?! Your experience is wrong!


What about coffee or energy drinks? What about cough syrup?


Thanks, now I just decided to quit driving.

1 does he first have to kill someone? smart people learn from their mistakes. really smart learn from other peoples mistakes.
2 coffee/enegy drinks dont make your reactions slower, which weed obviously can do. cough syrup depends on the dose. in case someones acctually being affected and realizes it he should nt drive a car.
3 thats good for climate so im cool with it

 

[narko]

How is everyone missing this? The 2 earlier articles linked tested levels of THC in people after a crash. It doesn't matter if they smoked 2 weeks earlier, if there was any in their system, it is considered to have caused the crash. Obviously, that has some major issues in logic and causality, but how is that any different than the rest of the bullshit surrounding weed.

Then I link an actual scientific study that proves in a true test, marijuana doesn't impair driving.

So we have one side that is complete bullshit and full of logical fallacies, and one side that is a double blind with placebo study. Yet people believe the bullshit news stories?

no man that doesnt sound right... were the tested persons longtime stoners? or first time? really i think theres too much to it that you could find out just by numbers. ofcourse there are 24/7-stoners out there who are driving better lightly influenced then sober. but at the end of the day you have to wonder: what woulld your life be like after killing someone because you drove stoned. your not only endangering yourself but everybody around you. i mean its kind of easy for me to say europe got a good public transport system. but anyway i think a cab should always be reachable.

 

[Duplicate]

1 does he first have to kill someone? smart people learn from their mistakes. really smart learn from other peoples mistakes.
2 coffee/enegy drinks dont make your reactions slower, which weed obviously can do. cough syrup depends on the dose. in case someones acctually being affected and realizes it he should nt drive a car.
3 thats good for climate so im cool with it

Indeed. Sir, I'm just bored at work. I think that anyone coming upon this thread will have considered this topic more than once in their stoner career. I don't think many will be swayed by what someone says on the internet vs. their own experience.

Everyone is different. In our cough syrup example for instance. Some people lack the enzyme to properly metabolize DXM. I'm not sure if it would be safe or not for these people to take DXM but I do know it would affect them very differently at different dosages for different lengths of time.

That's all I know.

 

[longearedfriend]

I have a hard time believing these studies

I drive much slower when I smoke

when your high, you know your high, your like wow man, i'm so high, I gotta drive slow

your so high, your saying to yourself wow man it's so crazy to be driving a car

it never stops being a novelty

and at same time it can make me much more focused, so being more aware of stuff, you really realize the possible impact and stupidity of driving fast

but hey that's me

 

[wisco61]

no man that doesnt sound right... were the tested persons longtime stoners? or first time? really i think theres too much to it that you could find out just by numbers. ofcourse there are 24/7-stoners out there who are driving better lightly influenced then sober. but at the end of the day you have to wonder: what woulld your life be like after killing someone because you drove stoned. your not only endangering yourself but everybody around you. i mean its kind of easy for me to say europe got a good public transport system. but anyway i think a cab should always be reachable.

Hilarious. A narco doesn't believe in a SCIENTIFIC STUDY destroying yet another myth about weed. Just shocking.

 

[Stoned Coder]

I'm driving miss daisy while stoned. No prob, but some people can't handle it, and this became glaringly obvious when I'm riding shotgun with a new friend and I look over and dude is fading at the wheel. I had to take over for the safety of mankind.

 

[narko]

Hilarious. A narco doesn't believe in a SCIENTIFIC STUDY destroying yet another myth about weed. Just shocking.

if you would read you would understand my point: its individualistic. and a stoner not believing governmental studies is just the same. plus , big surprise: i aint no cop. wohoooooooo.

 

[Crusader Rabbit]

How is everyone missing this? The 2 earlier articles linked tested levels of THC in people after a crash. It doesn't matter if they smoked 2 weeks earlier, if there was any in their system, it is considered to have caused the crash. Obviously, that has some major issues in logic and causality, but how is that any different than the rest of the bullshit surrounding weed.

Then I link an actual scientific study that proves in a true test, marijuana doesn't impair driving.

So we have one side that is complete bullshit and full of logical fallacies, and one side that is a double blind with placebo study. Yet people believe the bullshit news stories?

From the article I cited earlier;

"The risk of being responsible for a fatal crash increased as the blood concentration of cannabis increased (known as a dose effect). The odds increased from 1.9 at a concentration of 0-1 ng/ml to 3.1 at or above 5 ng/ml. These effects were adjusted for alcohol and remained significant when also adjusted for other factors."


I keep looking at this study and can find nothing wrong with their methodologies. I'm curious though about the analysis of causation with the intertwined factors of youth and cannabis consumption, since youth is a factor in increased accident rates as well as use of cannabis. The young male motorcyclists also were likely toxoplasmosis infected which is a causal factor in traffic accidents. France, where this study was done has a very high rate of toxoplasmosis infection.

Wisco, you're very right about THC levels being critical. We will be seeing THC blood level limits coming down the pipe soon. Will they be realistic? Will a daily user simply be unable to drive legally? A weekly user? There are legal limits to alcohol blood levels. You can legally drive with a certain amount of alcohol in your system as long as you're not impaired. Will it be the same for cannabis? It is against the law to drive when you are impaired by any substance.

The question with cannabis is how do we fairly decide a cut off limit for THC blood level. If you have a tolerance this level will seem ridiculously low. We can argue what is fair. But when you consider that a majority of our society consider it fair to lock people up in a metal cage for simple possession, don't get your hopes up that this can be examined impartially.

For those making the oft repeated claim that driving stoned is safe because you realize you're impaired and drive slower to compensate, well you've just admitted that you're impaired. This argument doesn't help your case one bit.