Self-reported impacts of recreational and medicinal cannabis use on driving ability and amount of wait time before driving

Abstract

Objective

Past research indicates that driving after cannabis use is relatively common. However, not all cannabis users are equally likely to drive after use; frequent cannabis users and frequent drivers are most at risk. It has been suggested that this is due to a perceived lack of impact of cannabis on driving ability.

Methods

The current study sought to better understand the motivation to drive after recent cannabis use. A survey was used to examine the self-reported impact of cannabis use on driving ability and, further, the amount of time cannabis users wait before driving after use. A total of 562 participants were recruited. Of these, 424 completed the survey and were included for analysis. Purposive sampling was used to screen for cannabis users who were over the age of 18 and residents of Connecticut.

Results

Cannabis use frequency was found to predict the self-reported impact of both recreational and medicinal cannabis on driving ability, such that more frequent cannabis users reported less impairment. Additionally, cannabis use frequency was predictive of wait time before driving, where more frequent users reported waiting less time before driving after cannabis use. A plurality of participants reported not waiting at all before driving after using cannabis. Notably, the self-reported impact of cannabis on driving ability was not associated with wait time before driving.

Conclusions

Cannabis users may not wait before driving even if they think it has a negative impact on their driving ability. Other factors that potentially impact driving after using cannabis warrant investigation.

Keywords:

• Cannabis
• marijuana
• driver behavior
• impaired driving

Acknowledgments

The study is part of a broader initiative to start meaningful community engagement and direct involvement from the people impacted by Connecticut Department of Transportation decision making. The authors thank Annette Tucker for her many contributions that greatly assisted this research.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available because they contain information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CT DOT) and approved by the University of Connecticut’s Institutional Review Board (Protocol No. H20-0172).