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The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned (Edit: Secondary Article)
#21928486 - 07/11/15 11:37 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Edit: A less sensationalist article added later on in thread.
The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned
Tia Ghose LiveScience.com By: Tia Ghose
Published: July 06, 2015 02:27pm ET on LiveScience.
Most Americans think that driving while high on marijuana isn't that dangerous, according to a recent Gallup poll. About 70 percent of people polled said that people who drive while impaired by marijuana are "not much of a problem" or only a "somewhat serious problem," whereas just 29 percent said it was a very serious problem. By contrast, 79 percent of Americans think drivers who are impaired by alcohol are a very serious problem. Those in the 79 percent group are right about the dangers of alcohol: In 2013, nearly a third of all fatal accidents were caused by alcohol impairment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But is it really safe to drive while high on marijuana? Though marijuana does impair driving abilities, there aren't data that show that it may increase traffic accidents, said Benjamin Hansen, an economist at the University of Oregon in Eugene and at the National Bureau of Economic Research, who has studied marijuana legalization in relation to driving accidents. What's more, if people who would ordinarily drink and drive instead choose to smoke and drive, that may be safer for the population as a whole, he added.
Marijuana impairs driving
To be perfectly clear: It's always safer to drive when you're not stoned, Hansen said. A review of 60 studies presented in 1995 [emphasis added] at the International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety found that marijuana impairs all the cognitive abilities needed for safe driving, including tracking, motor coordination, visual function and divided attention. Still, driving while high may not be nearly as dangerous as driving while drunk. The cognitive impairments caused by marijuana are correlated with only modest reductions in driving performance in driving simulations, according to a 2009 study in the American Journal of Addictions. And in a study published June 23 in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, researchers found that people who used vaporized marijuana were more likely to weave within their own lane, than people who were sober, but not more likely to weave out of their lane or speed. Drunk drivers, by contrast, were likely to do all three.
Increased Accidents? The tie between marijuana and traffic accidents is even shakier. For example, although a 2010 study in the journal Public Health Reports found that 11 percent of drivers killed in accidents had taken at least one drug, the link to marijuana is unclear. Those drivers were not necessarily using marijuana, and even if they had the drug in their systems, that doesn't mean they were high at the time of the accident, Hansen said.
There's no way to measure marijuana with a breathalyzer, so researchers use blood tests, but blood concentrations of marijuana's active ingredient THC can stay persistently high in chronic users. In traffic-fatality studies, any amount of THC in the blood, no matter how tiny, counts as a positive drug test.
So at least some of the people whose deaths are counted in such studies may not have been high at the time of the accident, Hansen said.
What's more, some studies suggest marijuana users can effectively compensate for their impairments. People who are drunk "are physically impaired, and they don't really think they're physically impaired," Hansen told Live Science "They'll drive faster, they'll follow cars at closer distances, they'll make rash, last-minute decisions." By contrast, people who are slightly stoned may be more risk-averse and overestimate their impairment. For instance, people who have smoked just a third of a joint will say they are impaired, even when driving tests show no such effects, according to a 1993 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "They'll drive slower, they'll follow cars at greater distances, they'll take some actions that at least somewhat offset the fact that they're impaired," Hansen said. And in a 2013 study in the Journal of Law and Economics, Hansen and his colleagues found that in the year after medical marijuana laws were passed, traffic fatalities fell. The sharpest reductions were found in evening accidents and drunk-driving or alcohol-related accidents. Hansen and his colleagues hypothesized that marijuana may actually be decreasing accidents because more people who would normally be drinking are instead using marijuana. However, it's tricky to untangle the relationship, as traffic fatalities have been falling nationwide for several years, according to the Insurance institute for Highway Safety. Improved car safety, lower drunk-driving rates overall or other unknown factors could play a role in that decline, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Legal Limits
When people are very high, they become more impaired and start to take more risks, just like drunk drivers, Hansen said. Current state guidelines may not be setting legal marijuana blood limits appropriately, he said. In the Drug and Alcohol Dependence study, within-lane weaving began to occur once the person's blood levels reached about 13 micrograms of THC per liter of blood. In fact, people with that level of THC had the same level of impairment as people with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent, which is the legal limit for alcohol in many states. But the legal limit for THC in Washington and Colorado is 5 micrograms per liter — less than half the amount found to be impairing in that study. (Smoking a joint typically raises a person's THC levels to about 20 micrograms per liter, Hansen said.) The study also found that marijuana and alcohol had an additive effect on impairment, and people frequently consume the two together, so legal drug limits should account for these additive effects, the study found.
Edited by Adden (07/14/15 02:32 PM)
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misterogerz


Registered: 06/07/02
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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: Adden] 3
#21928573 - 07/11/15 11:54 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Unless you are eating unknown doses or never smoked weed, this is bullshit. I've driven on re-dosed shrooms/stoned better than anyone leaves a bar.
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Psilosopherr
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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: misterogerz]
#21928581 - 07/11/15 11:57 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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one study says you're fine even if you're super high; another says its super dangerous.
Forces us all to go by how we feel about it. Come on science, so biased.
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misterogerz


Registered: 06/07/02
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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: Psilosopherr]
#21928621 - 07/11/15 12:06 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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well... heroin is like meth in ways...
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Adden

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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: Psilosopherr]
#21928643 - 07/11/15 12:15 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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I'd rather people drive while on nothing at all.. On the other hand, I see 75+ year old drivers that should be off the road. Same with people on phones, Bluetooth or not.
I had to call the sheriff's office over an old lady last summer. I was behind her and watched her nearly hit 7 pedestrians, three cyclists, and three children in a crosswalk. I lightly tapped my horn twice while she was approaching pedestrians. A mother grabbed her two kids by their collars and thank god they did or they'd be dead.
I had to go to the police station and give information to a deputy - I feel terrible about "narcing" - but when she hopped the curb and almost killed a group of beach-goers I had to.
Quote:
"They'll drive slower, they'll follow cars at greater distances, they'll take some actions that at least somewhat offset the fact that they're impaired," Hansen said.
I do believe people that are new to smoking or don't understand the dangers are a higher risk; however, I think results and studies from 20 years ago are nearly (or completely) irrelevant. These studies are always biased or not as thorough, and a lot of things have changed.
People texting while driving are a bigger risk. I wouldn't mind if all cell phones for people under the age of 21 should go into SOS mode, or people who have been convicted of DUI's or other such distractions should have them, depending upon severity and behavioral trends.
When elderly people and those distracted while driving by cell phones are taken care of, I'll give more of a shit about someone who smoked 8 hours ago.
There should be mandatory classes to get your license back if you've endangered anyone's life in any way on the road. Grabbing your car keys and smoking "one last dab" is irresponsible and morally reprehensible. If you want to kill yourself, throw a rope over a rafter, don't put other people in danger.
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misterogerz


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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: Adden]
#21928655 - 07/11/15 12:18 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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i have found people to be more distracting, and music sometimes helps to focus if there aren't other problems
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Adden

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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: misterogerz] 1
#21928663 - 07/11/15 12:21 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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I honestly think terrible drivers are a higher risk than stoners.
When I was younger, friends would be so paranoid about driving high and getting caught that they'd play some video games or eat before getting in their cars.
Self-control and responsibility for one's own actions are at an all time low and entitlement is an all time high.
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Adden

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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: Adden]
#21928709 - 07/11/15 12:35 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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If you couldn't tell, I'm torn on the issue, but I'd rather more important dangers be focused on. I know the weed thing is a hot topic and all, but I've seen more people get in wrecks (or nearly) from texting and driving. At what point does a stoner turn on their right signal and merge two lanes to the left? You know, come on.
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Le_Canard
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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: Adden]
#21928719 - 07/11/15 12:37 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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I've been smoking the devil weed for longer than most folks here have been alive and I've never been in an accident whilst stoned. In fact, I'm lot more cautious when I'm driving baked. My biggest problem is that I get lost on familiar streets if I'm particularly high.
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MinnesnowtaNice
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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: Le_Canard]
#21928818 - 07/11/15 01:04 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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What else are you supposed to do while driving? But for real this is some bullshit, anyone who knows anything about weed could tell your that no you probably shouldn't be driving stoned, but it's def not a big deal.
-------------------- we are all thought forms in a cloud of synchronistic events.
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Le_Canard
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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: MinnesnowtaNice]
#21928835 - 07/11/15 01:09 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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I certainly don't recommend it and I haven't done it in years, but I was young and crazy once too. It's no where near as debilitating whilst driving as say, booze is.
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BoomerMan420
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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: Le_Canard]
#21928846 - 07/11/15 01:14 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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PFFFT driving WITHOUT a joint hahaha that's a good one got to have greenery driving around the scenery.
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Le_Canard
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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: BoomerMan420]
#21928874 - 07/11/15 01:22 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Adden

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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: MinnesnowtaNice] 1
#21928940 - 07/11/15 01:44 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
MinnesnowtaNice said: What else are you supposed to do while driving?
Um, focus on the road, be aware of other dangerous drivers, and not kill people with a 2000lb weapon going 65mph?
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TNK
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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: misterogerz]
#21929404 - 07/11/15 03:47 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
misterogerz said: Unless you are eating unknown doses or never smoked weed, this is bullshit. I've driven on re-dosed shrooms/stoned better than anyone leaves a bar.
Not everyone is affected the same, by the same substances.
-------------------- Edited by TNK (02/22/22 22:22 PM)
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tryptkaloids
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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: Adden]
#21929464 - 07/11/15 04:02 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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I'm always stoned. the only difference that being stoned makes for driving (for me) is I don't take right on red or I give up the right of way when it is mine. it's much more dangerous to drive tired or while eating
-------------------- "Remember, kids, the difference between science and screwing around is writing it down" -adam savage Flowchart for Recommended plan of action. Learn the tried and true way to grow mushrooms Use the Damn search engine After you know what you're doing, take a break Pick a book, Make some chips! Josex said:Don't take the site seriously bro, ain't worth it.
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rajajuju
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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: tryptkaloids]
#21929923 - 07/11/15 05:47 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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pffft... ive done some seriously stupid DUI shit (without getting caught).. acid, shrooms, AMT, even fucking ayahuasca (for about a mile, and yeh, almost didnt make it but still)
and they want to say driving on weed is dangerous? LOL - i fucking learned to drive while i was high, i was the chauffeur of the group at like 15 years old
the ayahuasca driving is documented in a trip report on erowid... lemme dig that up:
https://www.erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=68907
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BlackWidow

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`
Edited by BlackWidow (02/03/21 03:52 PM)
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MagicMush123
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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: BlackWidow]
#21929988 - 07/11/15 06:08 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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It all comes down to how much you experience have.. On that same note if they tested driving while on tobacco, newer users would show signs of impairment also!
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tryptkaloids
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Re: The Disturbing Truth About Driving While Stoned [Re: rajajuju]
#21930040 - 07/11/15 06:20 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
rajajuju said: pffft... ive done some seriously stupid DUI shit (without getting caught).. acid, shrooms, AMT, even fucking ayahuasca (for about a mile, and yeh, almost didnt make it but still)
and they want to say driving on weed is dangerous? LOL - i fucking learned to drive while i was high, i was the chauffeur of the group at like 15 years old
the ayahuasca driving is documented in a trip report on erowid... lemme dig that up:
https://www.erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=68907
excellent read! made making a brew set in stone for me
-------------------- "Remember, kids, the difference between science and screwing around is writing it down" -adam savage Flowchart for Recommended plan of action. Learn the tried and true way to grow mushrooms Use the Damn search engine After you know what you're doing, take a break Pick a book, Make some chips! Josex said:Don't take the site seriously bro, ain't worth it.
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