Stoned-Driving Study Launching in Colorado; Subjects Wanted

The Colorado School of Public Health is conducting a study on how cannabis affects the operation of motor vehicles, according to The Denver Channel.

The study will delve deeper into how being stoned affects one’s ability to drive. Right now, many states with legalization have stoned driving laws that specify an amount of THC that is allowed in the bloodstream. Colorado‘s limit, for example, is 5 nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood — the problem with that standard, however, is that it’s not a true reflection of intoxication.

“It’s not fair for the medicinal patients. Because cannabis stays in your system for about 30 days and if you use marijuana every day, the amount in your body is going to compound. You might not have used cannabis that day, but there is still cannabis in your system, so that could cause you to be positive on a test where you weren’t inebriated at all.” — Tyler Prock, via The Denver Channel

Researchers at the Colorado School of Public Health will follow subjects who are daily users or weekly users, as well as a control group of non-users. Subjects will take a driving test, consume cannabis, and then be tested again. After driving, further tests will be done using a VR headset and an iPad to assess eye-hand coordination and eye movement.

Ashley Brooks-Russell, an assistant professor at the Colorado School of Public Health said, “The goal is to better understand impaired driving so that we can prevent impaired driving.” Researchers hope to improve roadside sobriety tests with the research.

Subjects are still being sought; all individuals will be compensated for their participation.