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Phaenx · 07-22-2003, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by castex
I defy anybody to tell me they drive better straight than I do stoned. I'd similarly challenge anyone to show me the facts which say that smoking weed makes one's driving worse. Yes, the idea of it is frightening if you don't know what you're talking about, but if you do, you know there's no problem. If the stuff were legal, they might do some proper tests. Until then I know there are a host of other factors that make the roads an extremely dangerous place to be. Deal with it, or take the train.

Thxachu, NIDA:

Marijuana affects many skills required for safe driving: alertness, the ability to concentrate, coordination, and reaction time. These effects can last up to 24 hours after smoking marijuana. Marijuana use can make it difficult to judge distances and react to signals and sounds on the road.

There are data showing that marijuana can play a role in crashes. When users combine marijuana with alcohol, as they often do, the hazards of driving can be more severe than with either drug alone.

A study of patients in a shock-trauma unit who had been in traffic accidents revealed that 15 percent of those who had been driving a car or motorcycle had been smoking marijuana, and another 17 percent had both THC and alcohol in their blood (17).

In one study conducted in Memphis, TN, researchers found that, of 150 reckless drivers who were tested for drugs at the arrest scene, 33 percent tested positive for marijuana, and 12 percent tested positive for both marijuana and cocaine (2). Data also show that while smoking marijuana, people show the same lack of coordination on standard "drunk driver" tests as do people who have had too much to drink (11).

Also, I'm a better driver then you are when you're stoned. I follow the posted speed limit within 5-10 miles an hour, and I don't hit people with my car, flawless victory!