Driving under the influence of cannabis can lead to negative outcomes: accidents, an increased risk of collisions, and even possible injury or death. Cannabis impairment is a primary concern for users, their friends and family members, law enforcement officers and lawmakers. Luckily, there are ways to detect cannabis impairment so you can make an informed decision before getting behind the wheel or any device that could put you at risk. Cannabis impairment is not the same as alcohol intoxication. While THC levels in the blood are a good measure of cannabis usage and its effects on your body, detecting cannabis impairment is more complicated than just measuring blood alcohol concentration (BAC).
How Does Cannabis Affect Driving?
Research shows that driving under the influence of cannabis can lead to negative outcomes, including accidents, an increased risk of collisions, and even possible injury or death. In fact, a study of fatal car accidents has shown that people who test positive for cannabis are 2.2 times more likely to be the cause of a fatal crash compared to people who have not used cannabis. Cannabis impairs your ability to drive by affecting your cognitive functions, attention, awareness and reaction time. It can make you less focused, make it harder to anticipate dangerous situations, affect your ability to make sound decisions and slow down your reaction time. When you combine cannabis with alcohol, it can intensify the effects of both substances, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries.
How Does Impairment Detection Works
There are a few ways to detect cannabis impairment. The most accurate ways for cannabis impairment detection are through a blood test or a saliva test. However, these tests can only be conducted by a trained professional and must be done in a lab. This makes it difficult to determine cannabis impairment on the road. It’s important to keep in mind that cannabis impairment can vary from person to person. While one person may be too intoxicated to drive after one joint, another may be able to drive after smoking an entire joint. This is due to a number of factors, including the user’s weight and metabolism, the potency of cannabis being used, and the method of consumption. That’s why other signs of cannabis impairment can be helpful when determining if you’re too high to drive. If you think you’ve consumed too much cannabis, you may notice some or all of the following:
Just like alcohol, it is illegal to drive under the influence of cannabis in all U.S. states and Canadian provinces. That’s why it’s important to know how to tell if you’ve consumed too much cannabis before getting behind the wheel. If you’re a cannabis user, it’s important to know how to tell if you’re too high to drive. If you’re with a friend who you think may be too high to drive, you can help them understand the signs of cannabis impairment and encourage them not to drive for their own safety.
