Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/automotive-car-dashboard-driver-1866521/
The use of CBD has skyrocketed in the U.S. in recent years. According to a study conducted, 1 out of 7 or 14% of Americans say that they consume CBD in some form or the other. CBD products are widely available in the states of CBD oil, lotions, ointments, sprays, edibles, topicals, and tinctures. They are mainly used to relieve pain, lower inflammation, reduce stress, ease body ache, improve skin texture, and promote sound sleep. CBD has been growing extremely popular in recent years since it has started to be used as an alternative to high T.H.C. cannabis. Those who are regular users of CBD experience massive benefits from using them. But T.H.C. creates a feeling of high and disorientation, which CBD does not. This is why CBD is legally more accessible and available online easily than T.H.C.
Does CBD have any effect on driving ability?
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is just as dangerous, if not more so. It’s time we learned about the dangers of cannabis products as they become more widely available and popular.
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major psychoactive element in cannabis, affects many of the same motor and cognitive abilities required to operate a car. As a result, medicinal marijuana relies on cannabidiol (CBD) for its therapeutic benefits.
In the absence of THC’s intoxicating effects, there may be no danger at all. For the first time, researchers demonstrated that vaping CBD on its own does not significantly alter one’s ability to drive safely.
A study conducted in the Journal of the American Medical Association found no evidence linked between CBD and driving impairment. A study found evidence of driving impairment caused by THC and a combination of THC or CBD. However, those who took only CBD did not have any difficulty moving. The Lambert Initiative conducted this study for Cannabinoid Therapeutics of the University of Sydney on 26 male and female participants of an average 23 year age bracket. It was given three different cannabis, THC, and CBD, and a combination of both. These participants were reported to be cannabis users and use it twice a week and have used it more than ten times in their lives.
The test
The participants were given a driving test of 40 minutes after they had consumed cannabis. The car they drove was a particular vehicle that monitored their physical movements, and they were accompanied by a driving instructor who was asked to be there just in case any risk arose. The test evaluated the driving skill of the participants and how well they could maintain the lane. This standard test is known as the SDLP or Standard Deviation of Lateral Position, and this is the standard test to find the impact of the substance on driving. Studies have found that those driving under the influence of alcohol tend to have a higher rate of SDLP than those who operate in a sober state. After each session, the participants were self-rating themselves on factors like confidence and anxiety. On the other hand, researchers rated them on the parts like memory, thinking skill, driving ability, decision making, and other aspects of driving.
Result of the test
The test results matched with the previous tests that were conducted to find the impact of THC and CBD combined. Those who had only THC reported having higher anxiety and lower confidence while driving. This study proved that those with CBD vaporizers did not have any difficulty moving. However, one thing was noted that the dose of THC and CBD is important. It can be possible that those having a higher dose of CBD may undergo impairment as similar as or even greater than T.H.C and honest review of cbd concentrates. Another limitation of this study is that it was conducted on a small group of 26 young participants. Results can be drastically different if a diverse and bigger group could have been involved in the test. Another issue the study did not address was whether these changes in driving behavior affect the rising cases of road accidents. One recent study found that the number of cases of road accidents in Washington doubled from 2013 to 2017 after marijuana was legalized, and large numbers of those drivers tested positive for marijuana. Researcher Johannes Ramaekers, Ph.D., professor of psychopharmacology and behavioral toxicology at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands, concluded that THC makes users feel the “high” causes driving difficulty for driving long as 4 hours after vaping; however, CBD does not pose any such challenge. CBD is not psychoactive like THC, so it does not significantly change driving performances.
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/cannabis-seedling-marijuana-leaf-5353152/
Conclusion
It can be safely concluded that a lower dose of CBD does not impair driving abilities. CBD has a lot of good effects on the users, and it can be beneficial to use CBD in the form of CBD oil, snacks, tablets, and so on. However, anything to a larger extent can cause problems, so it is best to limit the dose and enjoy its benefits.