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Driving simulator study assesses distraction and vehicle control after cannabis use
This simulator-based study evaluated how infrequent and daily cannabis consumers manage distracting secondary tasks whilst driving. Investigators noted that infrequent flower consumers demonstrated compensatory actions, including speed reductions and delayed task starts, whilst daily consumers failed to adjust despite potential impairment. The primary limitation is the reliance on simulated environments rather than actual road conditions.
- Infrequent flower consumers reduced driving speed and delayed task initiation after using cannabis.
- Daily cannabis consumers did not alter their speed or task timing despite potential impairment.
- Visual scanning and eye fixations decreased during difficult tasks only for infrequent flower users.
- Differences in driving behaviour between non-users and cannabis consumers existed even without acute use.
- The speed reduction among occasional flower consumers was around 1 mph, the largest of any group.
Our view
As an operator of dispensaries, we cannot set this aside. Occasional users compensated by slowing down and delaying secondary tasks, though the difference was about 1 mph. More significant is that daily users made no such adjustment. The authors conclude that daily users engaging in distraction while response capacity is degraded may face elevated risk. We consider that patients must be told clearly not to drive after use.
Sources
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