BABY YOU CAN DRIVE MY CAR

This 'under the radar' story popped up about a recent British Study on driving under the influence of cannabis. I haven't been able to find a newslink but I first received it from my pal Paul von Hartmann a couple of days ago, so I'll willing to vouch for its veracity. Thanks to Vigilius Haufniensis for sending in a printable version.

Marijuana Shows No Adverse Impact On Driving Performance, Study Says

London, United Kingdom: Volunteers who had previously consumed cannabis performed better than non-users on a driving simulator test, according to findings of a study published this week by Britain's Evening News.

A group of 20 volunteers participated in the study, which tested respondents' performances on a video game that simulated driving. Half of the drivers played the game after smoking the equivalent of half a marijuana cigarette.

"The results showed that for those who had smoked ... cannabis: 80 percent demonstrated superior reaction times; 60 percent finished a lap faster; 70 percent experienced a lower number of collisions; 60 percent reached a higher level in the game," the Evening News reported. In head to head match-ups versus non-users, cannabis users performed better in eight out of ten match-ups. However, when the dosage was increased to the equivalent of two marijuana cigarettes, non-users won the majority of one-on-one contests.

Previous driving simulator studies have yielded similar results, demonstrating that marijuana intoxication mildly impairs psychomotor skills, but that drivers are generally aware of their intoxication and compensate for it accordingly. Most recently, a Canadian Senate report concluded, "Cannabis alone, particularly in low doses, has little effect on the skills involved in automobile driving."

We were just talking about this, and I want to expand on my point. I'm convinced that at least half of the drivers I encounter on the road are impaired by prescription medications, alcohol, screaming passengers or simple inattention.

How many can say they didn't get behind the wheel under at least one of those conditions? I driven under them all and more, (including cannabis) in my youth and I know when I felt safest. Cannabis consumers make the best drivers.

For more on the subject, read NORML's report on the study and the related links.