Pot

[Oz]

Jerusalem, Israel: Low doses of cannabis and alcohol have contrasting effects upon psychomotor performance, according to clinical trial data published in the current issue of the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention.

 

Investigators at Hebrew University and the University of the Negev in Israel assessed the impact of alcohol and THC on simulated driving performance in fourteen subjects.

 

Researchers reported that volunteers’ subjective and actual performance differed under the influence of THC compared to alcohol.

 

"Average speed was the most sensitive driving performance variable affected by both THC and alcohol but with an opposite effect," authors wrote. "Smoking THC cigarettes caused drivers to drive slower in a dose-dependent manner, while alcohol caused drivers to drive significantly faster than in ‘control’ conditions."

 

Both alcohol and low doses of cannabis impaired drivers’ ability to maintain lane position and significantly increased subjects’ reaction time. Neither low doses of alcohol nor THC significantly increased subjects’ total number of collisions.

 

In terms of overall driving performance, subjects administered cannabis performed in a manner similar to drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05, authors determined.

 

"The present study reveals that although some similarities in the degree of impairment could be observed – mainly with the lower level of THC and alcohol, where both increased reaction time and [lane position variability] – some discrepancies also appeared between the two drugs," authors concluded. "In particular, subjects seemed to be aware of their impairment after THC intake and tried to compensate by driving slower; alcohol seemed to make them overly confident and caused them to drive faster than in control sessions."

 

Two recent examinations of fatal accident crash data indicate that alcohol, even at low doses, greatly increases drivers’ crash risk compared to cannabis. A 2007 case-control study published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health reported that US drivers with blood alcohol levels of 0.05 percent were three times as likely to have engaged in unsafe driving activities prior to a fatal crash as compared to individuals who tested positive for marijuana. Similarly, a 2005 review of French auto accident data reported that drivers who tested positive for any amount of alcohol had a four times greater risk of having a fatal accident than did drivers who tested positive for marijuana in their blood.

 

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "Effects of THC on driving performance, physiological state, and subjective feelings relative to alcohol," appears in Accident Analysis and Prevention. Additional information regarding marijuana use and on-road accident risk is available in the NORML report "Cannabis and Driving: A Scientific and Rational Review," available online at: http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7459.

 

Source: http://www.norml.org/

[ConvexConepiece]

Hmmm well like all things they dont take into account people who are experienced and have the mentality to drive while 'impaired' by cannabis, and so the only time I agree with their facts is that when tired and if you smoke cannabis before needing to drive, then it can be dangerous.

 

I regularly (well when I do have it) skateboard while under the influence, which involves remembering complex understanding of speed, physics, muscle memory, balance, you name it and with the mind calming effects of cannabis I can easily focus on just skating and actually enhance my confidence and the other side benifit is I dont get as pissed off when I eat shit or have trouble doing a trick etc, and the pain relief speaks for itself especially if i take a hard one and need to limp back hah.

 

Whatever

Peace

Edited May 17, 2008 by Gibbo

[pipeman]

the most important thing with driving safely is state of mind. Reflexes and hand eye co ordination are a very minor factor IMO. This is proved by the fact that under 25 drivers have a crash rate far higher than their older counterparts, even tho their reflexes and co ordination are far superior, and its also the reason alcohol is bad for driving, as it tends to make people aggressive and overconfident as this study found.

 

The fact that pot makes you cautious says to me its an ideal drug to take before driving if you are a regular user and used to the effects. On the other hand if you are only an occasional user, I'd say going for a drive after a smoke would probably be a bad idea. And as this study indicated, stoned people are also more aware of their state than drunk people.

 

At the end of the day the reason these laws are evil is that they are not actually addressing a problem with road safety. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest unchecked cannabis use is resulting in any significant number of road accidents, and we certainly have better places to direct our tax dollars and police force.

[RobbieGanjaSeed]

The thing I think smokers make the mistake of when summing up this situation is the unpredicatability of smoko. No-one I know can say just exactly how the next smoke is going to effect them, and of course is unarguably true when you've just shared some grass from a stash you havent had before, or not in the last few days at least.

 

I assume I'm an average person when it comes to re-actions of pot on me physically and mentally, and I've had some pot that has effected me some ways, and other which effects me in other ways.

To say "pot makes you....." is to avoid this very important part of the equation.

 

I've had one speeding ticket , and no other traffic infractions for over twenty years and was choosen to pilot a new program for the P liscene upgrade from P 1st year, to 2nd year P in the new upcomming system. I consider myself a decent driver and in spite of the good driving record and low accident record (a few prangs when i was a teen), I drive like a fuckin loon most times. it's not uncommon for me to still get the family sedan sideways for kicks. So I reckon I'm normal and average in all ways. Bit mad, bit careful..

 

I've driven hundreds of miles pulling cones, one after the other as the bong did the circles in the car . And at another time, I baled out my car at a set of lights, leaving the engine running, becuase a truck went though the lights in the opposite direction, and the magnitude of the danger of roads flipped me out. I just walked away from the car, running at the lights.

I forced myself back into the car well and truly after all the other cars had cleared the intersection.

I have to admit that was the wildest grass I had smoked in my life up to that stage. But that's my very point. I had driven a girl home, and she offered me a smoke and it blew my tits off. I had to get home and this is what happened.

 

I also gave up on driving, when after eating a shit load (I mean over a 6 month period shit load) , neither my wife or I could dirve. we were driving at less than 20 miles per hour, when I relaised we were not fit to do this. SO if just being used to being stoned is all it takes, what happened that day? This was at a time I had never used more pot beofre or since. Every day was eating grass from morning until night. That session ended up lasting three years, so I'd say I was fairly attuned to being stoned by then.

 

And of course when i was young, I fel for the "STOP!! It's A GREEN LIGHT" routine. Which of course I did, and everyone in the car fell around laughing like goons, until someone asked me what do you do when the light is green? I didnt know the answer. But by the time I had it figured it out, i was panicj'king, and the light had turned red, atwhich I proceeded to drive on through. And again, all in the car scremed out STOPPPP!! IT's RED!!!..and I replied.."yeah...what does that mean?" more falling onthe floor laughing like a good. The lights went green, I went to leave, and my mates sauys "are you sure", and he ad lost track.

 

Now we were kids I know, but there are kids out there today smoking and just getting behind the wheel for a fairly new experince, which does take a few years to properly master. And even so, I was more or less likely about 19 years old when that happened, and had been sm,oking for years already. And I'm sure most here are familiar withthat stupid childish trick of screaming "stop" at green lights when someone stoned is driving. Maybe it died out over the years but was a common joke when I was a kid. So just goes to show it can fuck you up behind the wheel.

 

But all praticle jokes aside, making split second descions like we all have to when driving can be done with consumate ease while stoned, or we could freeze up in a messed up way. And anyone who isn't considering the unexpected re-action to grass we all can have one smoke to the next isnt thinking of that.

I simply pity anyone who has such a boreing smoking life can say "smoko makes me...(insert particular framee of mind here)...and I know how I will re-act to the smoke"...WTF?

 

I know it's not the popular view. I smoke and drive all the time, and don't believe it can be compared to driving drunk or say on opiates in a fit. So long as the smoke is "average" and you've been smoking it regularly for the last few weeks probably it'll be fine. But the danger in drivig isn't what you expect, it's what you can't expect. You can be as cautious as you like, but some fool driving up the road the wrong way requires alert , defensive and immediate apraisal of the situation. Not "hey ...is that car on the wrong side of the road?" time. And anyone who doesnt get that effect from smoking and is in such total control, I wonder why they smoke?

 

I think the real answer is each high is a new experience, and it takes a mature level of judgment to know the difference. But who's going to be the judge of the mature part? I drive smoked, my wife drives smoked, my daughter drives smoked....I'm not being supportinve of the concept of it being like driving drunk, which I'd kick my daughter in the arse for. I just think the answer isn't straight and narrow.

 

cheers

rob

[brick]

Perfect summation Rob. I have been totally shitfaced and have out run the cops in my mates XU1 Toranna in the back blocks of Warratah Bay (Sth East Coast of Vic) my mates said they had never seen me drive with so much full on concentration. Then on the same grass driving my Kombi home from the bay just pulled over and told them I was too scared to keep driving. That was many moons ago tho, now I don't drive with booze or smoke in me. Too many booze/drug buses to haunt you. And way too many other fools on the road just waiting to crash into me.

[RobbieGanjaSeed]

Thanks brick. hey umm..brick, you dont own a mini now do you? Hence "brick"? They were neat cars too.

 

I know this is off topic , but you raised a point I have to mention..

 

I just read the stats on the performance of XU1s the other day. It made sense of something I had tried to work out for years. I had a XB GS with detroit locker and top loader spring loaded shifter. I took this XU1 on one night, and he so damn near beat me it blew me away. I hadn't lost a run in that car at that stage, so it fairly surpiseed me and when I stopped to talk with him, he told me about his lightened fly wheel, roller rockers yella tera head bla bla bla...but still, he said he had no 3d gear! So I've spent years wondering how on earth a little car like that could be so fast.

When I read the stats, i found they get almost the same speed from each gear as i was geting out of a fairly heavily worked 302 60 thou os forgies and phase 2 Ho cam and high rise manifold.

 

thos XU1s were a little wizz bang weren't they.

 

cheers mate

rob

[brick]

Thanks brick. hey umm..brick, you dont own a mini now do you? Hence "brick"? They were neat cars too.

 

I know this is off topic , but you raised a point I have to mention..

 

I just read the stats on the performance of XU1s the other day. It made sense of something I had tried to work out for years. I had a XB GS with detroit locker and top loader spring loaded shifter. I took this XU1 on one night, and he so damn near beat me it blew me away. I hadn't lost a run in that car at that stage, so it fairly surpiseed me and when I stopped to talk with him, he told me about his lightened fly wheel, roller rockers yella tera head bla bla bla...but still, he said he had no 3d gear! So I've spent years wondering how on earth a little car like that could be so fast.

When I read the stats, i found they get almost the same speed from each gear as i was geting out of a fairly heavily worked 302 60 thou os forgies and phase 2 Ho cam and high rise manifold.

 

thos XU1s were a little wizz bang weren't they.

 

cheers mate

rob

The nickname was given to me by my sister inlaw. Long storey but goes back to Jethro Tull days.

If my memory serves me correctly, the 202 engine in the XU1 had a stroker crank and triple side draught Webber carbs. The car had shit loads of low down torque. The power band graph on it must have been fantastic as they just wanted to keep pulling, marry that up with the best set of tyres you could afford so there was not a lot of wheelspin and away you go. Mind you the country cops of that era didn't get the whizz bang go fast cars back then. So it probably looked more spectacular than it really was, everyone else was off their faces as well. It must have been one of those stones were you become super alert and focused on the one thing, and being relaxed you tend to drive better. The proper Thai Buddha (the compressed sticks) used to do that to me.

 

Cheers

Brick

ps yeah minis were shithot little cars.

[RobbieGanjaSeed]

"I really don't mind if you sit this one out! My words a whipser, your deafness a shout....I may make you feel, but I can't make you think....your eyes sail over the sea-ea-ea-easss-eees--

 

And your wise men don't know how it fellelelleeleellllss...to be thick..as a brick"

 

I love it mate, one of the shit best all time hero records. That and aqualung. I was just trying to turn my son's young girlfreind ontohim a few months back. She plays flute like a champion, and her parents, music teacher, no-one has ever muttered a word to her about jethro tull. Sad.

 

Yeah mate, country cops cars, valiants and even minis, but neve cooper S... Those were the days. When police budgets made them what they should be, public servants, not eh "all seeing eye"

When towns like tenterfeild, parkes, west wylong...felt like frontier wolds, and the backyard at the same time.

great days.

 

rob

[brick]

"I really don't mind if you sit this one out! My words a whipser, your deafness a shout....I may make you feel, but I can't make you think....your eyes sail over the sea-ea-ea-easss-eees--

 

And your wise men don't know how it fellelelleeleellllss...to be thick..as a brick"

 

I love it mate, one of the shit best all time hero records. That and aqualung. I was just trying to turn my son's young girlfreind ontohim a few months back. She plays flute like a champion, and her parents, music teacher, no-one has ever muttered a word to her about jethro tull. Sad.

 

Yeah mate, country cops cars, valiants and even minis, but neve cooper S... Those were the days. When police budgets made them what they should be, public servants, not eh "all seeing eye"

When towns like tenterfeild, parkes, west wylong...felt like frontier wolds, and the backyard at the same time.

great days.

 

rob

 

"Those were the days"

Yeah they sure were Rob, the cops in the country had it bad then(thank God). Hope you succeed with the girlfriend, beautiful instrument the flute. Cops weren't so bad back then. It was when they woke up to the amounts of money that was exchanging hands that made them turn nasty. Lots of stories to remember and tell to my grandkids if I ever get that far.

My journey has been eventful and fun, ups and downs but real good memories of real good fun times. Lost a few mates along the way to heroin but I was lucky to pop out the ither side intact.

[dsyfer]

How about getting rid of the dumb fuck, arrogant, ignorant, in too much of a hurry, doesn't give a shit about anyone, lane changing, speeding moron drivers first.

 

Then worry about the over cautious not exceeding the speed limit stoner.

 

I know who I would rather share the roads with.