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Drivers high on edibles stayed in the slow lane, study finds

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A recent study found that using cannabis edibles left drivers feeling less willing to drive, and driving at slower speeds. Furthermore, the study also found no statistically significant differences from the sober controls when it came to measures of driving ability. And importantly, there was no correlation found between driving impairment and blood THC levels.

That’s important new data, given the ongoing politics of legalization rolling out across America, where fears of stoned driving have long-driven critics’ objections. Florida will vote on legalization this fall.

The study, published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, is the first to investigate the impact of cannabis edibles on driving—as opposed to smoking. That’s important because edibles hit differently. While there have been many studies investigating inhaled cannabis’ impact on driving, these authors wanted to investigate edibles because THC takes longer to kick in and feels different when you eat it. Since edibles are a popular way to consume cannabis, it’s crucial to understand how they might impact safety for everyone on the road.  

Drivers on edibles had so few collisions that researchers could not even evaluate that factor in their final analysis.

Adding to the research on driving high

Previous research has found mild impairments for driving under the influence of cannabis – specifically increases in weaving back and forth. These impacts tend to be more drastic for those who aren’t regular cannabis users. Frequent consumers have shown less impairment from cannabis than those who use cannabis occasionally, likely due to building a tolerance to cannabis’ disorienting effects. 

Still, unlike alcohol, research suggests that cannabis leads to less risk-taking behaviors, slower speeds, and lower confidence in driving ability—which may reduce the overall impact of the impairments. This may be why some evidence suggests there are no increases in traffic fatalities when recreational cannabis laws are adopted. 

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Do drivers on edibles perform differently?

To study how cannabis edibles impacted driving, researchers set up an experimental design where participants consumed their preferred edibles and then tried out a driving simulator. These edibles varied by the individual and included gummies, chocolates, cookies, and brownies with an average dose of 7.3 milligrams of THC—a pretty standard amount. The researchers also measured blood THC levels and assessed the participants’ feelings after they took their edible. 

The study occurred in Toronto, Canada, and included 22 people ages 19-74 with valid driver’s licenses. Participants abstained from cannabis for 72 hours before the experiment. Researchers took baseline THC levels and ensured no other psychoactive drugs or alcohol had been taken before the driving test. 

To add some controls to the experiment, the researchers had participants do a practice session on the simulator. Then they conducted test sessions where participants were either given their chosen edible or a cannabis-free placebo edible 120 minutes before simulated driving. Driving took their tests at 120, 240, and 360 minutes after taking the edible. 

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During these simulations the researchers measured weaving in and out lanes, speed, how much their speed varied, braking, and how many collisions they had. Following each drive, participants took surveys on how high they felt and how well they thought they handled the car.  

Study finds no driving impairment on edibles

After analyzing the results, researchers found that cannabis edible intake led to slower driving speeds after 2 hours–but this effect vanished by hour 4. Still, they found no differences between controls and edible consumers when it came to lane weaving, reaction times for hitting the brakes, or variation in speed—even when researchers made the drivers check their phones or radio. Drivers on edibles had so few collisions that researchers could not even evaluate that factor in their final analysis.

Interestingly, they also found no correlation between blood THC levels and driving impairments. 

Despite the safe driving, the high drivers reported feeling stoned. They reported an altered subjective experience for 7 hours, and less willingness to drive for 6 hours after they used their edible. They also reported less confidence in their driving ability—rating their own driving performance lower from 150 to 270 minutes after consuming cannabis. 

These graphs show that edibles eaters didn’t think they could drive, and didn’t want to drive. But they performed normally anyway.

Limitations and future research directions

While an important step in assessing the impacts of edibles, this study had limitations. Importantly, this is a very small study, with a sample size of only 22. Most of the participants were white and male, which limits how far we can generalize these results to apply to everyone. They also didn’t include data or analysis of weight, which might alter the absorption of THC when taken as an edible.

This was also not a blinded study—which is ideal. Participants brought their own preferred edible, so they likely knew whether they got a placebo or their edible. This could shift results due to the placebo effect. 

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Future studies should focus on replicating these results with a double-blinded methodology and a larger, more representative group of participants. 

While this study didn’t find any major driving impairments from edibles, this doesn’t mean it’s safe to drive on cannabis. Larger and more rigorous studies are needed to confirm these results. And it’s certainly notable that the participants themselves didn’t feel confident driving. Until we have more conclusive evidence, it’s best to play it safe (and legal) and avoid driving high! Take mass transit or a shared ride, and if you do drive—give it your full attention, and avoid distractions and speeding.



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Australia

Study To Determine Impact of Cannabis on Driving Ability Delayed

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An Australian trial that will investigate the impact of medical cannabis on driving ability won’t be finished until late 2025. The Guardian reports that Australian cannabis advocates are disappointed that the Victorian government appears to be delaying the study despite the issue being called a priority.

In February 2023, then-state premier Daniel Andrews pushed to determine how cannabis impacts driving ability and said that the issue is a priority for the Victornian government. He estimated as many as 200,000 medicinal cannabis patients in Victoria are essentially restricted from driving. 

That’s because THC can be detected in the body for weeks, if not months after consumption, meaning medicinal cannabis patients can essentially never drive without worry of driving while what authorities consider to be impaired.

Victorian premier Jacinta Allan announced May 14 that Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia has been selected to run the trial. The $4.9 million dollar trial ($3.26 million USD), to be completed over 18 months , will review about 70 medicinal cannabis patients’ ability to manage distractions and assess their performance behind the wheel, including steering, braking, and speed control on a dedicated track.

“Just as we were the first state in the nation to introduce medicinal cannabis to support people with their medical illnesses, we are now moving to have this world-first trial to support and examine how it affects people as they’re out on this closed circuit driving track,” Allan said.

Victoria became the first Australian state to legalize medical cannabis in 2016, but it remains illegal for individuals to drive with any trace of THC in their bloodstream.

Legalise Cannabis MPs David Ettershank and Rachel Payne said they were disappointed in the timeline. “Jacinta Allan may be on a driving track today but I know she is intentionally ‘stalling’ on this decision,” Payne said. “In 2023, Dan Andrews promised an answer ‘in coming months’ followed by a guarantee to have it fixed by 2024. Now, with a new premier, it’s mid-2026 at best.” Ettershank suggested was “discriminating” against medicinal cannabis patients and the motives were political.

What could change? Already in Tasmania, leaders established a medical defense if drivers are caught behind the wheel with THC in their system, as it can linger there for weeks or months. But roads minister, Melissa Horne said Tasmania had far fewer medicinal cannabis patients than Victoria. “At the heart of it, it is a basic human rights issue where we’ve got people out there who are taking a legally prescribed substance who cannot drive at the moment,” she said.

While cannabis breathalyzers have emerged, made by several companies, there is currently very few, if any places in the world that has developed standardized cannabis impairment testing; All that exists are tests that can detect THC in the bloodstream, but that has little to do with current impairment. That could change quickly, however.

How Long Cannabis Impacts Driving Performance

Researchers in Australia have been determining the window that cannabis can impair driving performance. In one case, Thomas R Arkell, Danielle McCartney , Iain S McGregor, who are associated with The Lambert Initiative at the University of Sydney, studied the impact of cannabis on driving ability.

They determined that cannabis can impair driving ability in the hours immediately after smoking, but the impairment ends well before THC metabolites are flushed from the bloodstream.

“Patients using THC-containing products should avoid driving and other safety-sensitive tasks (e.g. operating machinery), particularly during initiation of treatment and in the hours immediately following each dose,” the authors wrote. “Patients may test positive for THC even if they do not feel impaired, and medical cannabis use does not currently exempt patients from mobile (roadside) drug testing and associated legal sanctions.”

Hound Labs, based in Oakland, California, said in 2021 that market release is imminent for its Hound Marijuana Breathalyzer, which can detect the presence of THC molecules in the breath.

“The first commercial units of the Hound Marijuana Breathalyzer will be in the hands of customers this spring,” Dr. Mike Lynn, an emergency room physician who is CEO and co-founder of Hound Labs, told High Times. “Production will ramp up throughout the rest of 2021.”

The introduction of the Hound Breathalyzer could really shake things up for law enforcement, motorists, employees, employers, and medical cannabis patients. It’s different from other drug tests because Hound Labs reps say it can test whether the person is currently high, as measured by the presence of THC molecules in the breath. The developers of the Hound believe that THC molecules linger in the breath for up to four hours after smoking. 

In the U.S., 12 states—Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah and Wisconsin—have zero-tolerance laws for certain drugs including THC.



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