Regular cannabis users are better drivers than occasional users, new study explains why

According to a recent study, more than 40% of US drivers who use both alcohol and marijuana admitted to driving under the influence of one or both substances. However, almost half of those surveyed said they did not drive while intoxicated.

Still, some cannabis users claim that driving while intoxicated does not impair their ability to drive, although law enforcement officials have warned that the number of fatal car accidents involving cannabis has more than doubled in recent years. Although apparently it makes them better drivers.

Regular marijuana users drive better than occasional users, according to new driving simulator data published in the journal Traffic Injuana Prevention.

“Those with an occasional use pattern experienced significantly more lane departures during the distraction periods after acute cannabis use compared to baseline, while those with daily use did not show a similar increase,” said researchers from the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus and the University of Iowa . “Participants with a pattern of daily use reduced their speed, which can be interpreted as a drug effect or as a compensatory strategy.”

As part of a simulated driving performance test, participants used their own cannabis, which contained between 15 and 30% THC.

Interestingly, the new research only confirmed the results of previous studies, which proved that cannabis exposure is associated with either partial or even complete tolerance in cognitive and psychomotor performance.

“This may indicate that those who use daily may perceive a potentially adverse effect of acute cannabis use on driving performance and may attempt to compensate by driving more slowly to allow more time to adjust to changes in the road surface.” to respond,” the researchers said, adding that further research was needed on the topic.

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Medicinal cannabis, road safety and lower insurance rates

Meanwhile, a team of economists from Temple University and the Universities of Arkansas and Eastern Kentucky found that states with legalized medicinal cannabis benefited from lower insurance premiums as well as an improved highway environment.

RELATED: Getting high affects your driving, according to a new study

“We estimate that legalizing medical cannabis will reduce annual auto insurance premiums by $22 per household, a 1.7 percent reduction for the average household,” experts write in the study. “Extending our findings to other states, we find that legalizing medical cannabis has reduced auto insurance premiums by $1.5 billion in all currently legal states, with the potential to drive premiums by an additional $900 million.” dollars if the remaining states would legalize.”

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.