It seems that regulators that have loosened up restrictions on the use of marijuana — on a state-level — may need to more closely examine its decision making. We say this as an all-new study has been published with some compelling results.
Essentially, it's been found those that use marijuana are more prone to impulsive activity, which translates into more dangerous driving habits. Obviously this isn't good.
The group consisted of "heavy marijuana users," or those who use the drug five out of seven days of the week. Interestingly, those who noted cannabis use in their early teens had a strong correlation with an increase in "rash decisions," which led to bad driving skills while using a driving simulator. This includes speeding, hitting pedestrians, crossing the center line, missing stop signs and going through red lights.
This follows on research conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which noted that states that have legalized the use of marijuana have experienced a trend of more crashes relative to other states.
Having said that, what say YOU, Spies?
Do regulators NEED to better understand the true impact of WEED on drivers — sober or not?...The number of fatal vehicle crashes in which drivers tested positive for cannabis more than doubled from 2007 to 2016, rising from 8 percent to 18 percent, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
As states legalize recreational use of marijuana, more research is needed on how consumption affects driving safety, said Ryan Vandrey, an associate professor in the behavioral pharmacology research unit at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
"We don't fully understand the health impacts of heavy frequent cannabis use," Vandrey said...
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