Is it hard to drive a car while under the influence of marijuana?

Question

Because my friend does it all the time, and he seems to drive good while hes stonned.. is that just a myth? driving while high on weed will imapare your driving skills? i think not.

Answer 1

Some interesting info:
My introduction to marijuana and driving occurred when I read an article about that subject in the June 1980 issue of Car and Driver magazine. The authors of this article deliberately chose from the very beginning to not even consider the possibility that anyone could be driving responsibly while under the influence of marijuana.

But when yielding their own scientific test results, possibly the first such testing ever conducted scientifically on drivers under the influence of marijuana, and when quoting the U. S. government's own test results, concluded that motivated drivers, stoned on marijuana, were about as good as unstoned drivers in the same tests, although some stoned drivers actually improved a bit when they weren't goofing off, sleeping, or looking at the clouds. (To arrive at most of the rational conclusions of the article, one must go to the very end section.)

The scientific tests mentioned in the article were quoted by Dr. Alan C. Donelson of the Highway Safety Research Institute in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I didn't see the older studies on the internet, but later studies are readily available.

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More cautious drivers ? Although marijuana definitely impairs driving in laboratory test conditions, the amount of impairment produced in real-life city traffic conditions was minimal or non-existent! The amount of impairment measured in the lab never exceeded the impairment produced by .08% Blood Alcohol Level (or BAL), the minimum measurment of alcohol produced impairment necessary to produce a DWI or DUI arrest in most areas. The main danger could be the possibility of mixing alcohol and marijuana. It is possible that marijuana makes the effect of alcohol a little worse. How worse, the study did not quantify.

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U.S. Department of Transportation,
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(DOT HS 808 078), Final Report, November 1993:

"This program of research has shown that marijuana, when taken alone, produces a moderate degree of
driving impairment which is related to the consumed THC dose. The impairment manifests itself mainly in the
ability to maintain a steady lateral position on the road, but its magnitude is not exceptional in comparison
with changes produced by many medicinal drugs and alcohol. Drivers under the influence of marijuana retain
insight in their performance and will compensate, where they can, for example, by slowing down or increasing
effort. As a consequence, THC's adverse effects on driving performance appear relatively small."

The study used actual, stoned Dutch drivers (in Holland) and it was paid for by our government.

Answer 2

Speaking from experience, I used to drink and drive a lot, I actually felt that I was a better driver after lots of booze. Of course I was totally wrong and a rather young idiot. There is no way someone gets better at driving under the influence of anything. Rent the movie "up in smoke" this will shed some light on the subject. By the way.stoned drivers who are really relaxed during a crash, rarely get injured bad, so you might think about riding in the backseat with your friend,Mario Stoner.

Answer 3

Weed affects motor skills and auditory as well. Take it from a old hippie don't loose your car during a traffic stop. Having dope in your car will in most states get you several tickets or jail time. Weed also makes you do stupid things Wow Man! there go's my exit! And laugh uncontrollably at the wrong times Hey officer? that uniform makes me laugh.

Answer 4

i did this once and therre is a bridge I use all of the time that while under the influence the trip took three times as long......or so it seemed. That was in 1969 and i have not done dope of any kind since 1970

Answer 5

For some people it's easy, other's can't do it. They have to use their own judgement. I've always been able to tell when I'm too high to drive. Not the case with drinking. I've been drunk and still wanted to drive.

Answer 6

Depends how "stoned" he is... He won't think he's impaired, and it may not show, but there are no real limits to judge like there is for alcohol, so you're at the mercy of any cop that pulls you over... They can smell pot, & he'll be charged with OWI, get a drug test...very bad stuff happens after that.

Answer 7

i have had a drivers license for 25+ years, and have smoked every bit of those 25+ years, and have never had an accident. it's a level that most can't achieve..and i certainly wouldn't encourage joe schmo to do the same.....with me, i'm more aware of my surroundings and more aware of my actions...for instance, not speeding, paying better attention to what other cars might do or what they're doing that might cause a mishap......being more courteous and allowing others 2 merge into traffic and just overall being more patient.....all with the help of the big bud------------

Answer 8

It depends on what your definition of "influence" "stoned" "high" and "impare" are ...ANY drug will "influence" your driving skills....everyone is different so "stoned" and "high" are relitive and are impossible to gauge for any one person...(some drunks can drink a six-pack and not even get buzzed - while some stoners can smoke a fat reefer of cronic and still be un-impared)...BUT to be safe when you are "HIGH" on anything stay off the road , PLEASE !!!

Answer 9

i don't get high any more but did for years and driving come easy for me also you know what Ive heard is that everybody must get stoned carry on dude the future will tell all

Answer 10

You will react slower but also because marijuana brings paranoia you also tend to drive slower and be more cautious of your surroundings.