International
Study: CBD consumption does not affect driving
A pioneering study of University of Sydney, published on the 2nd of December in the Journal of the American Medical Association, reveals that consumption of cannabidiol (CBD) does not affect driving. The same study also found that moderate doses of THC result in a mild inability to drive, which can be compared to alcohol consumption, with the effects lasting up to four hours after use.
The investigation, carried out by the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics na Maastricht University, in the Netherlands, has shown that CBD, the most widely used cannabinoid for medicinal purposes, does not have a noticeable or measurable impact on the responsiveness of drivers.
This is the first study dedicated to the direct relationship between cannabis use and driving and is particularly important as it looks at the effects of taking CBD and THC separately. For Thomas Arkell, who led the study, the findings "indicate for the first time that CBD, when taken without THC, does not affect an individual's ability to drive, which is "good news for anyone using or considering treatments with based on CBD”, he concludes.
Taking into account the growing number of users of these substances at a global level for the treatment of diseases such as epilepsy, anxiety or chronic pain, this study turns out to be fundamental, and could become a very useful tool for authorities that, eventually, they will have to define permitted consumption thresholds, and even for consumers who need to know to what extent the use of these products can affect their daily lives.
Study is important for consumers to feel safer while driving
For Ian McGregor, Academic Director of the Lambert Initiative, “This result should be reassuring to people using CBD-only products, as it indicates that they are very likely to be able to drive safely, while also helping patients using THC-dominant products to understand how much its effect lasts for a long time.”
The methodology used involved 26 healthy participants, who were given four different types of cannabis (with more THC, with more CBD, both combined or a placebo) randomly to vape on four separate occasions. The performance of each participant was evaluated after 40 minutes and after 4 hours of taking, for about 1 hour at a time, along 100 kilometers, on a public highway. The amount of THC given was enough to cause intense intoxication.
All tests were carried out in driving school cars, with a professional instructor present. The standard deviation of the vehicle's position (which increases with the consumption of alcohol and some drugs such as Valium), the number of lane changes, deviations and gear corrections was also measured.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
[Disclaimer: Please note that this text was originally written in Portuguese and is translated into English and other languages using an automatic translator. Some words may differ from the original and typos or errors may occur in other languages.]____________________________________________________________________________________________________
What do you do with €3 a month? Become one of our Patrons! If you believe that independent cannabis journalism is necessary, subscribe to one of the levels of our Patreon account and you will have access to unique gifts and exclusive content. If there are many of us, we can make a difference with little!
Margarita has been a regular contributor to CannaReporter since its inception in 2017, having previously worked for other cannabis-focused media outlets such as Cáñamo magazine (Spain), CannaDouro Magazine (Portugal) and Cannapress. She was part of the original team for the Portuguese edition of Cânhamo in the early 2000s and was part of the organisation of the Global Marijuana March in Portugal between 2007 and 2009.
He recently published the book “Canábis | Cursed and Wonderful” (Ed. Oficina do Livro / LeYA, 2024), dedicated to spreading the history of the plant, its ancestral relationship with the Human Being as a raw material, entheogen and recreational drug, as well as the infinite potential it holds in medicinal, industrial and environmental terms.
Diego Quattrone: "If we consider all cannabis users, it's clear that we're talking about a very small percentage of people who develop psychotic disorders."
Diego Quattrone is a psychiatrist, researcher and Professor of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences at King's College London, United Kingdom.
GNR Faro | Vilamoura – Seizure of more than 700 products in a cannabis store
The Faro Territorial Command, through the Loulé Territorial Detachment, carried out an operation on July 8th...
Systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrate the potential of CBD in reducing seizure frequency in Epilepsy
Epilepsy, as a chronic neurological disease, affects a substantial number of individuals globally, with a significant subset...
Portugal: New cannabis seizure in Grândola exposes yet another illegal trafficking operation disguised as a medicinal facility
As part of the operation to combat drug trafficking, the Judicial Police (PJ) seized more than 2.200 kilos today...
North Macedonia: Government to review company licenses after seizing cannabis destined for the illicit market
“All licenses granted to companies processing cannabis for medicinal purposes will be reviewed.” The government of North Macedonia...
Portugal: New Operation “Ortiga” seizes 2 tons of cannabis and arrests two foreign citizens
The investigation that the Judiciary Police began in May and which targets medicinal cannabis companies in Portugal had today...
Thailand: New cannabis regulations aren't as bad as they seem. Here's what's really at stake in the country
The Thai government recently announced its intention to review its cannabis legislation, with the aim of limiting...
Lorraine Nolan chosen to head European Drugs Agency (EUDA)
The Executive Assembly of the European Drugs Agency (EUDA) has appointed Irishwoman Lorraine Nolan to take up the position of Director...
Cannabis Europa: “Doctors continue to leave medical school without having learned about the endocannabinoid system”
The phrase is from Niall Ivers, co-founder of Cantourage, and reveals a systemic problem in the medicinal cannabis sector in...
Hungary: New drug policy includes zero tolerance and hate campaigns
The Hungarian government, in power for 15 years, has consistently used marginalized groups as scapegoats for its problems,...
