As prohibitive laws centered around cannabis continue to decline by the day more studies are being performed on the influence of marijuana to clear up long held misconceptions. One of the most recent studies looked at the effect marijuana consumption has on drivers.
The influence of marijuana was so minimal that it caused almost no impairment and was less than or equal to the level of impairment of someone under the influence of a legal alcohol limit.
The study was sponsored by the National Institute of Drug Abuse and the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Drivers were assessed on how much they weaved within a lane, how often they weaved, and the speed at which they weaved. Cannabis users only demonstrated issues weaving within the lane while drivers with alcohol in their systems showed impairment in all three categories.
Drivers under the influence of marijuana at an amount comparable to a .08 breath alcohol level showed less impairment than the drivers under the influence of alcohol.
When drivers mixed both alcohol and marijuana there was an added level of impairment as to be expected. Cannabis itself, taken in moderate amounts, cause little to no serious impairment.
