Pot-Smoking Teen Drivers Say Weed Aids or Isn’t Hindrance

[True Earthling]

Most teenagers who drove under the influence of marijuana said the drug either improves their performance behind the wheel or is no hindrance, according to a survey by insurer Liberty Mutual Holding Co. and a safety group. Thirty-four percent of those who have driven while high say the drug makes them a better motorist, and 41 percent said it had no effect, Boston-based Liberty Mutual said. Among teens who drove under the influence of alcohol, 62 percent said drinking affected their driving for the worse.

While there’s a clear association between alcohol and increased car-crash risk, the link between marijuana use and accidents is less certain, according to NORML, which seeks to decriminalize marijuana use by adults. Stoned drivers may slow down and require greater time to respond, the organization said on its website.

“This reaction is just the opposite of that exhibited by drivers under the influence of alcohol, who tend to drive in a more risky manner proportional to their intoxication,” NORML said on its site. Still, the organization said people shouldn’t drive after being impaired by marijuana use. Teen drivers say using a mobile phone is at least as distracting as driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or prescription drugs, Liberty Mutual found. Three quarters of teens said driving while high on marijuana is at least slightly distracting, and 86 percent said the same of driving under the influence of alcohol.

The data are based on completed surveys from 1,708 11th and 12th graders at 26 high schools across the U.S., according to Liberty Mutual.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-25/pot-smoking-teen-drivers-say-weed-aids-or-isn-t-hindrance.html

Maybe smoking pot makes you believe your a better driver...

How high is too high? KIRO tests pot-smoking drivers to find out

With a drug recognition expert from the sheriff's office watching, Evans started having trouble remembering how to drive the course.
“What, is this cone in the middle?” said Evans.
Confused, Evans turned early and left the course.
Then while going through a 20 mph corner, the instructor had to grab the wheel to stop Evans from swinging wide and hitting KIRO’s photographer.
“I had to grab the wheel, basically, to stop him from running (the photographer) over,” said Jackson.
“If I was to be watching him on a road, I would have stopped him,” said Officer Dave Claridge with the Sheriff’s Office.
Underberg’s driving also got worse with the more pot he smoked.
He backed over a cone, and after 9 tenths of a gram of pot, he drove so slowly the officer said he should not be on the road.
Underberg agreed.

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/how-high-too-high-kiro-7-tests-pot-smoking-drivers/nWLrZ/

[CBGLuthier]

1. Science vs. your local tv station and a cop

I missed the part that showed these teens were good drivers sober. Bad science.

[True Earthling]

3. If they're this bad when straight...

How did they ever pass the drivers license test?

KIRO decided to allow Norton to smoke one last time, bringing her total smoked to 1.4 grams.
When she was back in the car, Norton knew she was having trouble.
“(I’m) way more stoned. Way more stoned. Definitely shouldn’t be driving,” said Norton, who swung wide on a 20 mph curve as she drove with no restraint.
Less than 30 seconds into the drive, she started backing up and didn't stop until she wiped out a cone.
“Which would have been indicative of backing into a pole or a citizen on the sidewalk,” said Claridge.
The officer, driving instructor and Norton agreed she would not be safe if she was on a public road.
“She would be a danger,” said Jackson.
“I would say all three would have been arrested for driving under the influence of marijuana,” said Claridge.

[Wounded Bear]

2. Pot-Smoking Teen Drivers Say Weed Aids or Isn’t Hindrance.....

...to texting while driving.

I've been to a few meetings and hung around a few bars.

People have been saying the same thing about drinking and driving for as long as I can remember. And that's a few decades.

[KT2000]

4. Some people do better

A friend, who was an habitual pot smoker, was driving over a mountain pass when a wind shear hit the car. We spun around almost 360 degrees. I just knew we were going to go over the cliff but I watched my friend and the steering wheel. He was so in the moment that he did not panic, rather he kept control of the steering wheel and got control of the vehicle as it completed the spin so we did not go over the side.
It probably helped that he had lots of experience driving on snow and ice but I am sure the marijuana helped him keep focused in the moment.

[smoochpooch]

5. DRE's are a joke.

They tend to be law enforcement officers, who have a significant interest in backing up the determination of the officer on scene and finding the suspect is impaired. They generally have no firsthand experience with drugs, so they take everything they read in their police manuals as gospel.

For example, if you smell like marijuana and your tongue is green, they will determine that you are high and too impaired to drive, even if its actually because you're wearing dirty clothes and ate a green jolly rancher earlier in the day.

I'm a criminal defense attorney speaking from experience.

[Mosby]

6. pot does not affect reaction time

It affects a persons judgement mostly, which might affect some drivers and others not at all.

For those that don't know smoking a gram or more is a lot of weed, way more than a person would normally smoke to get high, even if its just "shwag".

[NCTraveler]

8. Sober is the only way to drive.

Fucking idiots.

[TheManInTheMac]

9. Yeah I had a friend who swore up and down that he was more cautious when he drove drunk.

Key word had.

This sort of argument does nothing to help NORML's agenda.

[Bennyboy]

14. ASbsolute false equivalancy there. being Stoned is NOTHING

like being drunk and for you to make that comparison is absolutely dumb and, really, if that is what you think then you have no purpose in this conversation. Only ONE drug does what alcohol does and that is alcohol. Pot does not impair your coordination, force you to make poor decisions (Well I did see Kiss (without the makeup) while i was stoned)..

I will drive with anyone loaded but won't drive with anyone that has a few beers.

It does make kids, especially young males, better drivers. they slow down and are more attentive.

it def makes me a better driver. I have driven at least a million miles in my lifetime and the only accident i had in the past 40 years I was straight as rain. I know it calms me down and makes me more aware of my surrounding. I am also less aggressive.

[TheManInTheMac]

15. When you get your first inevitable DUI,

I would suggest keeping that little rant to yourself. Judges have to give you at least three days for a first offense, but they can give you more.

Impaired driving is impaired driving, and I'm all for stiffer penalties.

And if you have to get high to be calm enough to keep from raging out, you shouldn't be allowed to drive.

[War Horse]

10. Teens are usually more risk-prone drivers than the rest of us.

(I know I was)

So maybe cannabis slows them down a bit...

Sure, pot smoking drivers are a helluvalot 'better' than drunk ones. But I prefer drivers to be sober, thank you very much.

[Alva Goldbook]

11. Strange, whenever I drink I suddenly become a better dancer.

I am deeply in love with sweet, sweet Mary Jane, but it's idiotic to drive under the influence of anything.

[RebelOne]

12. Many, many years ago, I smoked pot and discovered

that I could not drive when I found myself driving on the wrong side of the road. That ended my pot smoking days (at least while driving).

[AngryAmish]

13. There is no way I could ever smoke pot and drive

It has been since the first Bush Administration that I smoked pot but I either 1. fell asleep or 2. moved way too slow.

OTOH, I know some dudes who smoke all the time and drive. These people also don't fall asleep like I did. So who knows. I would like real studies done that connect smoking to impairment.

[Rex]

16. Sure, right as long as they are going to Taco Bell

the munchies are a great self-motivator.

I know someone that got pulled over driving too slow on weed...so I don't think that is necessarily true. I still say it should be treated like booze...no driving under the influence.

[mountain grammy]

17. Driving is serious and should be done sober..

[DisgustipatedinCA]

18. Instead of asking teens, it might be useful to ask an adult who has smoked every day for 25 years

It's just not an issue, at least if you have tolerance built up. If I consume edible mj, e.g. brownies, I won't drive. But if I've just smoked a bowl, driving is not a problem. I've driven drunk before too (and I paid the legal price). There's no comparison at all between the two experiences.

[Marrah_G]

19. Because teens never feel invincible......

.... until they aren't.

[0rganism]

20. IMHO driving is a hindrance to weed.

I don't enjoy driving high. It's a waste of good smoke. Best case, my driving doesn't degrade but I'm concerned as all hell that it might.

[bike man]

21. In other news, drivers who consume alcohol say they are better drivers after a couple of

drinks.

[riderinthestorm]

22. I'm 100% against the War on Drugs but count me as one who believes driving should be done sober

and not under the influence of anything.

There are even legal RX meds that prohibit operating a motorized vehicle while under the influence.