If you take the time to read the instructions printed on most OTC medications, you will notice that some have warnings against driving or using heavy machinery immediately after taking the product. Plenty of prescription medications come with a similar warning. But what about medical cannabis? Is it safe to drive immediately after using it?
The official position taken by both the CDC and Utah HHS is that a patient should not drive. In fact, the HHS website specifically states that “It’s not safe to drive after using cannabis because it slows down your motor skills, reactions, and attention. Wait at least 8 hours after using medical cannabis before driving.”
There is nothing ambiguous about that. But perhaps it’s worth delving into the details a bit more. Driving as a medical cannabis patient is more complicated than the oversimplified position regulators tend to take.
Why Caution Is Warranted
Despite the complex nature of the driving issue and the fact that medical cannabis patients are all different, there is no denying the fact that cannabis can negatively impact a person’s physical and cognitive abilities. When under the influence of cannabis, the drug can:
- Distort perceptions.
- Impair coordination.
- Slow reaction times.
- Impair decision making.
All four potential effects can have an impact on a person’s driving ability. With that said, under no circumstances should someone under the influence of medical cannabis get behind the wheel of a car. Any form of impaired driving is dangerous. Just don’t do it.
The Studies Are Not Conclusive
The CDC says that scientific study shows a link between acute cannabis use and auto accidents. However, the agency also acknowledges that it is very difficult to draw conclusions about the level of THC in a person’s system and their level of impairment. That is because the studies we have thus far are not conclusive.
One such study, published in 2009, was conducted as a review of previous epidemiological studies offering contradictory conclusions about cannabis consumption and driving impairment. Some of the reviewed studies demonstrated impairment while others did not.
The reasons for the contradictory study data are many and varied. Without getting into all the details, the point is that we still don’t know exactly how much cannabis is required to impair a person’s driving ability.
Driving While Impaired Is Illegal
Regardless of the inconclusive study data, the fact remains that driving while impaired is illegal in all 50 states. It is not a question of what causes the impairment. Whether it’s alcohol, medical cannabis, or any other drug, driving while impaired simply isn’t acceptable.
It is probably going to be many years before states start coming up with legal limits for THC impairment – if they ever come up with them at all. Who knows? We might never be able to accurately measure THC and impairment the same way we can with alcohol. So for now, the best advice is to not take any chances.
If you ever feel even the slightest bit impaired by medical cannabis, don’t drive. And if you can avoid driving for eight hours after consuming your medication, do so. Why take any chances if you don’t have to? As they say, it is better to be safe than to be sorry.
Bring Us Your Questions
Although we cannot give you legal advice here at Beehive Farmacy, we can help you make sense of medical cannabis products and how to use them. Feel free to ask your questions when you visit either our Salt Lake City or Brigham City location. Our team is waiting to help you.
