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Adden

Registered: 06/04/03
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Loc:
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Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability
#18747443 - 08/23/13 01:49 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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I find that after smoking and then driving I'm a lot more alert. Today, I was smoking a giant baseball bat on the way home from work (been a long week). I was very stoned.
This is on a 35 mile stretch of highway and a lot of it veers off to farms and shit. Nobody's around so I'm not endangering anybody either, except the deer.
If I zoned out on my normal commute today I would've nailed one. But, since I was stoned and paying more attention to the road, I saw it coming up the culvert and was able to react in time to avoid hitting it. I wasn't going fast enough to just hit it and toss it to the side of the road.
I imagine a lot of people who get into car accidents after smoking are doing retarded shit like texting people, eating munchies, juggling shit around in the car or talking on a cell phone. I don't think it impairs my ability at all and I believe it to be an enhancer of awareness of your surroundings.
Drinking and other drugs are a different story, but there shouldn't be a "driving under the influence of marijuana" charge or whatever the shit. There's a misdemeanor ticket in one of the counties here for smelling like weed but you usually pay a fine.
I don't see why resources are being wasted on other people being hauled into jail and prison for the flowers of a plant. It still boggles my mind why people care so much and want to keep it illegal. The good part (and sad part) is that when legislators are faced with it and they have their spouse or sibling die and find comfort in marijuana in their terminal months... Well, things move a bit further.
Also, I've got anxiety and some other shit and physical pain. Narcotic painkillers fucking suck for so many reasons, especially because they're so good however the addiction potential is too high. Being a chronic pain patient sucks. But anyway, if weed was legal, I could smoke that instead and ideally kick benzos some time in my life and get my anxiety together. The benzo taper will be the worst, opiates are easy, especially if this kratom works.
But yes, smoking weed doesn't impair your driving ability, fumbling idiots are to blame.
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Patlal
You ask too many questions



Registered: 10/09/10
Posts: 44,812
Loc: Ottawa
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: Adden]
#18747473 - 08/23/13 01:56 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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I still won't drive while impaired. But I do agree with you
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jammin
MN Adopted



Registered: 03/30/11
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: Adden]
#18747478 - 08/23/13 01:57 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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not this debate again
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And when I see you coming down the line With eyes wide open Somewhere in between the past and future Where you drift in time And you can see a different point of view
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Adden

Registered: 06/04/03
Posts: 39,201
Loc:
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: jammin]
#18747483 - 08/23/13 01:58 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Hey whatever, I never participate in those threads so I made a new one. The age demographic here is a lot different now and there are also more females actively posting. No need to be a negative nancy. You didn't even agree or disagree.
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topdog82
Death Spirit



Registered: 07/16/10
Posts: 7,992
Loc: California
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: Adden]
#18747525 - 08/23/13 02:09 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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I think that if/when weed becomes legal this will be a HUGE issue
Different users will experience different thigngs. the first couple times I got high there wasNO WAY that I could have driven
There have been other time where I was too damn high to safley drive. I think it depends on how much you use habitually, and how much you used within the past 3 hours
This whole debate has no real yes or no answer. But I think if ur high on a scale of 1-10
1-2 bad for driving 2-6 good for dirivng 6-8.5 not the best for driving 8.5-10 bad for driving
That being said, if think as long as you had a normal level "sesh" you should be fine 95% of the time. If you are new to smoking/vaping weed, be careful. Assuming your tolerance is untoched by oils, dabbing is going to have a negative impact
so to answer your question: depends on a numer of factors. But more often than not, it is a negligible negative impact, or even a slightly positive impact. Some extreme cases, no way
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Adden

Registered: 06/04/03
Posts: 39,201
Loc:
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: topdog82]
#18747530 - 08/23/13 02:10 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
topdog82 said: This whole debate has no real yes or no answer. But I think if ur high on a scale of 1-10
1-2 bad for driving 2-6 good for dirivng 6-8.5 not the best for driving 8.5-10 bad for driving
That's a pretty solid breakdown, I can dig it.
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Mush 4 Brains
about tree fiddy


Registered: 12/19/07
Posts: 8,298
Loc: Tacos
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: Adden]
#18747534 - 08/23/13 02:11 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
I find that after smoking and then driving I'm a lot more alert.
I dunno about all that but I will say it aint shit like drinking and driving. I havent smoked in at least 2-3 months, I know that if I were to smoke anything right now I wouldn't want to drive.
When I was a daily smoker, chiefing a blunt while driving wasn't shit. I've probably driven and smoked at least a thousand times with no problem.
I wouldn't say it made me more alert though, just didn't hinder my reaction time or hand eye coordination.
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SARAtonin
Violent Dreams


Registered: 09/28/11
Posts: 15,961
Loc: Deutschland
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: Adden]
#18747535 - 08/23/13 02:11 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Anyone who has moked more then one could tell you that.
-------------------- God kills indiscriminately and so shall we. For no creatures under God are as we are none so like him as ourselves. Want to join a cult? Click for details…
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Murph

Registered: 04/06/13
Posts: 1,678
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: Adden]
#18747556 - 08/23/13 02:16 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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I don't drive stoned because the cops here will hit you with a DUI even if you're driving fine, that and if somebody hits you while you're high you're fucked even if you didn't cause the accident.
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fee
Im he who is the


Registered: 01/16/03
Posts: 18,238
Loc: amsterdam
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: Murph]
#18747581 - 08/23/13 02:25 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Hey dystopia I've been trying to get a hold of you but you aren't accepting any pms. What gives yo?
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blankk said to fee: btw you're a total fucking psychedelic pimp Turtletotem said: I want to become a sun worshipper, so next time an atheist smugly asks me where god is, I can point smugly at the sun and laugh my ass off. Then I drive away in my solar powered piece of shit car, cool stuff man. And then I go kill a bitch because the flaming orb in the sky told me to do so, and I don't know, oppress a few minorities here and there in the name of nuclear fusion? Religion is fun.
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Adden

Registered: 06/04/03
Posts: 39,201
Loc:
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: fee]
#18747589 - 08/23/13 02:26 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Oh, long gay tl;dr story. They're back up.
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nooneman


Registered: 04/24/09
Posts: 14,608
Loc: Utah
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: Adden]
#18747621 - 08/23/13 02:35 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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I've done it, and it definitely impairs your ability to drive. Not anywhere near as bad as alcohol, though. I'd much rather have high drivers than drunk drivers. But it still impairs your ability to drive.
I don't think it should be as illegal as DUI. It should probably just be a ticket.
Edited by nooneman (08/23/13 02:37 PM)
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Shroomism
Space Travellin



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Loc: 9th Dimension
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: Adden]
#18747628 - 08/23/13 02:38 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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I've been saying this for years. It's still true.
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Rorge
Scoundrel


Registered: 10/25/10
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: Shroomism]
#18747639 - 08/23/13 02:45 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Yeah it just alters my driving ability. I drive real slow, usually a little under the speed limit. I'll be the guy going 50 in the right lane on the highway.
If it's dark out, I'll assume every car behind me is a cop due to paranoia. Considering I usually speed A LOT when I'm sober, I guess I'm a better driver when I'm high.
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volcomstoner
I'll have just one more xanax



Registered: 07/20/09
Posts: 11,231
Loc: Minnesnowta
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: Shroomism]
#18747644 - 08/23/13 02:47 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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If I were to smoke a bowl and try driving right now I would be driving like shit. It really depends on how used to being high you are and how often you smoke. When I smoked everyday I could drive fine if I was high.
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HAIL SATAN Vas donc jouer dans le traffic
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Patlal
You ask too many questions



Registered: 10/09/10
Posts: 44,812
Loc: Ottawa
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: topdog82]
#18747664 - 08/23/13 02:52 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
topdog82 said:
This whole debate has no real yes or no answer. But I think if ur high on a scale of 1-10
1-2 bad for driving 2-6 good for dirivng 6-8.5 not the best for driving 8.5-10 bad for driving
How do you figure that 1 - 2 is bad for driving. The closer to sober you are the better.
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Mocha Bear
BHP



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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: volcomstoner]
#18747665 - 08/23/13 02:52 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
volcomstoner said: If I were to smoke a bowl and try driving right now I would be driving like shit. It really depends on how used to being high you are and how often you smoke. When I smoked everyday I could drive fine if I was high.
^
I used to love it because like Dystopia said I'd drive more careful. I'm a safe driver anyway so I never had a problem.
You should know your limits though. If you smoke and get too high you should wait a bit before driving. If I knew I was driving soon I'd try and smoke about 30 mins before I left so I'd still have a nice buzz going.
I miss smoking sometimes
-------------------- The love you take is equal to the love you make....
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sonamdrukpa
Wayfarer


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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: volcomstoner]
#18747728 - 08/23/13 03:07 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Here, some stuff based on actual studies:
NORML of course has a few showing that marijuana impairs driving performance but that stoned drivers make up for it by being more careful: http://norml.org/library/item/marijuana-and-driving-a-review-of-the-scientific-evidence#Driving http://norml.org/library/item/marijuana-and-driving-a-review-of-the-scientific-evidence#OnRoad
Dept. of Transportation says pretty much the same thing: http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/25000/25800/25867/DOT-HS-808-078.pdf "...marijuana, when taken alone, produces a moderate degree of driving impairment which is related to the consumed THC dose. The impairment manifests itself mainly in the ability to maintain a steady lateral position on the road, but its magnitude is not exceptional in comparison with changes produced by many medicinal drugs and alcohol. Drivers under the influence of marijuana retain insight in their performance and will compensate where they can, for example, by slowing down or increasing effort. As a consequence, THC's adverse effects on driving performance appear relatively small."
Yale school of medicine: "Epidemiological studies have been inconclusive regarding whether cannabis use causes an increased risk of accidents; in contrast, unanimity exists that alcohol use increases crash risk.": http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19340636
etc. etc.
Anecdotally I worked for a law firm once and one of our cases involved a man who was high and driving, lost control of his vehicle (while going exactly the speed limit), sideswiped a semi and caused it to lose control and careen through one lane and over the highway median - crushing a woman's vehicle in the process, killing her but leaving her 3-year-old daughter with minor head injuries - and into the incoming lane where it ran into a pickup, causing non-fatal injuries. I doubt anyone involved feels relieved that cannabis was, scientifically, probably not a large contributing cause.
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The5thElement
Smile Friends :)



Registered: 07/01/12
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: sonamdrukpa]
#18747755 - 08/23/13 03:14 PM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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I think good and or confident drivers are OK to drive, bad drivers or unconfident drivers are not ok to drive when stoned.
I'm a boss at driving, serious Fing Pro here
and I drive stoned a lot, I literally just got back from the store and you can bet I was stoned.
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OldHam



Registered: 07/19/13
Posts: 1,566
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Re: Smoking marijuana does not impair your driving ability [Re: The5thElement]
#18750001 - 08/24/13 02:22 AM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
A growing body of research indicates that marijuana is on balance less of a road hazard than alcohol. Various surveys have found that half or more of fatal drivers have alcohol in their blood, as opposed to 7 - 20% with THC, the major psychoactive component of marijuana (a condition usually indicative of having smoked within the past 2-4 hours).1 The same studies show that some 70% - 90% of those who are THC-positive also have alcohol in their blood. It therefore appears that marijuana by itself is a minor road safety hazard, though the combination of pot and alcohol is not. Some research has even suggested that low doses of marijuana may sometimes improve driving performance, though this is probably not true in most cases.2
Two major new studies by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration have confirmed marijuana's relative safety compared with alcohol. The first, the most comprehensive drug accident study to date, surveyed blood samples from 1882 drivers killed in car, truck and motorcycle accidents in seven states during 1990-91.3 Alcohol was found in 51.5% of specimens, as against 17.8% for all other drugs combined. Marijuana, the second most common drug, appeared in just 6.7%. Two-thirds of the marijuana-using drivers also had alcohol. The report concluded that alcohol was by far the "dominant" drug-related problem in accidents. It went on to analyze the responsibility of drivers for the accidents they were involved in. It found that drivers who used alcohol were especially culpable in fatal accidents, and even more so when they combined it with marijuana or other drugs. However, those who used marijuana alone appeared to be if anything less culpable than non-drug users (though the date were insufficient to be statistically conclusive). The report concluded, "There was no indication that marijuana by itself was a cause of fatal accidents." (It must be emphasized that this is not the case when marijuana is combined with alcohol or other drugs).
The second NHTSA study, "Marijuana and Actual Driving Performance," concluded that the adverse effects of cannabis on driving appear "relatively small" and are less than those of drunken driving.4 The study, conducted in the Netherlands, examined the performance of drivers in actual freeway and urban driving situations at various doses of marijuana. It found that marijuana produces a moderate, dose-related decrement in road tracking ability, but is "not profoundly impairing" and "in no way unusual compared to many medicinal drugs." It found that marijuana's effects at the higher doses preferred by smokers never exceed those of alcohol at blood concentrations of .08%, the minimum level for legal intoxication in stricter states such as California. The study found that unlike alcohol, which encourages risky driving, marijuana appears to produce greater caution, apparently because users are more aware of their state and able to compensate for it (similar results have been reported by other researchers as well5) It should be noted that these results may not apply to non-driving related situations, where forgetfulness or inattention can be more important than speed (this might explain the discrepancy in the Baltimore hospital study, which looked at accidents of all kinds). The NHTSA study also warned that marijuana could also be quite dangerous in emergency situations that put high demands on driving skills.
Footnotes
1. Dale Gieringer, "Marijuana, Driving, and Accident Safety," Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 20 (1): 93-101 (Jan-Mar 1988).
2. H. Klonoff, "Marijuana and driving in real-life situations," Science 186: 317-24 (1974).
3. K.W. Terhune et al., "The Incidence and Role of Drugs in Fatally Injured Drivers," NHTSA Report # DOT-HS-808-065 (1994).
4. Hendrik Robbe and James O'Hanlon, "Marijuana and Actual Driving Performance," NHTSA Report #DOT-HS-808-078 (1994).
5. Klonoff, loc. cit.; A. Smiley, "Marijuana: On-road and driving simulator studies," Alcohol, Drugs and Driving: Abstracts and Reviews 2#3-4: 15-30 (1986).
http://norml.org/library/health-reports/item/norml-s-marijuana-health-mythology#6
-------------------- The Shallows, Chapter 7, Nicholas Carr
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