NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A new study warns that driving after eating cannabis edibles can significantly impair road performance and reaction times, even if blood tests show THC levels well below the legal limit. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, highlight a potential challenge to enforcement of drunk driving laws in Canada and some U.S. jurisdictions. MARIJUANA REACHES MAJOR MILESTONE AS DAILY WEED CONSUMPTION EXCEEDS DAILY CONSUMPTION Edibles are absorbed more slowly and can produce driving problems even when THC concentrations in the blood remain relatively low. Researchers found that drivers who consumed higher doses of edible THC had problems with lane control, had slower reaction times, and experienced greater speed fluctuations. However, his blood tests remained below the standard legal limit used to demonstrate impairment in highway traffic stops. The researchers measured how well drivers stayed in their lane, how quickly they reacted to road events, and how consistently they maintained their speed. (iStock) To evaluate how oral cannabis affects driving, researchers at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto conducted a trial with 40 healthy adult volunteers who regularly use cannabis. Each participant attended four separate sessions in which they consumed chewable gummies containing 0, 2, 10, or 20 milligrams of THC. Cannabis compounds could reverse diseases that affect a third of adults. Drivers used a driving simulator at two, five and 24 hours after consumption, tracking how well the drivers stayed in their lane, how quickly they reacted to road events and how consistently they maintained their speed. Blood samples and self-reported intoxication ratings were also collected. Participants recognized their own limitations and reported a lower willingness to drive and lower confidence in their driving skills after taking the gummies. (iStock) Results showed driving problems two and five hours after consuming 10 and 20 milligram gummies. Compared to placebo, participants who consumed those doses had greater variability in lane position, while the 20 milligram dose was also associated with slower reaction times and less consistent speed control. Participants also recognized their own limitations, reporting a lower willingness to drive and lower confidence in their driving skills after taking the gummies. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP The highest blood THC concentrations averaged 1.6 nanograms per milliliter after the 10-milligram dose and 3.4 nanograms per milliliter after the 20-milligram dose. Those levels were below the commonly used threshold of 5 ng/mL, although THC limits vary by jurisdiction and some individual samples exceeded 5 ng/mL. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER By comparison, participants in the team’s previous smoked cannabis study showed similar levels of impairment while reaching an average peak blood THC concentration of 30.3 nanograms per milliliter, nearly 10 times higher than the 20 milligrams. edible group. The study had some limitations. The tests were conducted on virtual simulators rather than on real roads, meaning drivers did not face any real physical risks during the experiments. It also focused on regular cannabis users, so it’s unclear how casual users might react to similar doses. When the research team previously tested smoked marijuana, drivers with similar levels of impairment recorded blood THC concentrations averaging 30.3 nanograms per milliliter, nearly 10 times higher. (iStock) Additionally, minimal residual effects were detected after 24 hours. While maximum speed remained slightly higher among participants receiving 10-milligram and 20-milligram doses, subjective feelings of intoxication had completely faded. TRY OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ In an accompanying commentary, Dr. José Ignacio Nazif-Munoz of the University of Sherbrooke noted that these biological differences pose a challenge to authorities. slowly through the digestive system, standard blood tests may not identify unsafe drivers, forcing policymakers to look for more reliable road tools. “The delayed absorption and prolonged duration of effects of edible cannabis distinguish it from smoked or inhaled cannabis, complicating the interpretation of biological measures,” he wrote. Khloe Quill is a lifestyle writer at Fox News Digital. She and the lifestyle team cover a range of topics including food and drink, travel and health.
