Reply #152: Oh, really? I think this new data is being supported more and more

[robdogbucky]

every day by real studies. Of course if cannabis were legalized maybe widespread testing would prove to the industries that are fighting it and the people that are uninformed about it, that it really is a wonderful plant put here for many reasons.


Summaries
Crash culpability studies
On-Road Performance Studies
Driving simulator studies


SUMMARIES

“At the present time, the evidence to suggest an involvement of cannabis in road crashes is scientifically unproven.

To date ..., seven studies using culpability analysis have been reported, involving a total of 7,934 drivers. Alcohol was detected as the only drug in 1,785 drivers, and together with cannabis in 390 drivers. Cannabis was detected in 684 drivers, and in 294 of these it was the only drug detected.


... The results to date of crash culpability studies have failed to demonstrate that drivers with cannabinoids in the blood are significantly more likely than drug-free drivers to be culpable in road crashes. … cases in which THC was the only drug present were analyzed, the culpability ratio was found to be not significantly different from the no-drug group.”

REFERENCE: G. Chesher and M. Longo. 2002. Cannabis and alcohol in motor vehicle accidents. In: F. Grotenhermen and E. Russo (Eds.) Cannabis and Cannabinoids: Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutic Potential. New York: Haworth Press. Pp. 313-323.


“Cannabis leads to a more cautious style of driving, it has a negative impact on decision time and trajectory. this in itself does not mean that drivers under the influence of cannabis represent a traffic safety risk. … Cannabis alone, particularly in low doses, has little effect on the skills involved in automobile driving...”

http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5450



For those interested, click the link and read more than allowed to cut and paste here.