This is the first study that confirms CBD is driver-safe.
The findings of the most recent study on cannabis and driving will be encouraging to millions of consumers and patients throughout the world. According to research done by the University of Sydney, the greatest daily therapeutic dose of cannabidiol (CBD), 1500mg, had no effect on people’s driving or cognitive ability.
CBD is a cannabis component that is widely used for medical and ‘wellness’ purposes, such as promoting sleep and increasing energy. It’s commonly taken orally as an oil.
Most countries allow CBD driving. For example, in the state of New South Wales (NSW), it is lawful as long as the driver is not considered to be “impaired” as a result of fatigue or low blood pressure. With the exception of contraindications, the current study showed that CBD does not induce impairment even at the highest therapeutic dose of 1500mg.
“Though CBD is generally considered ‘non-intoxicating’,” explains lead scientist Dr. Danielle McCartney, “its effects on safety-sensitive tasks are still being established.” “Our study is the first to confirm that, when consumed on its own, CBD is driver-safe.”
CBD does not appear to intoxicate people, unlike THC, a cannabis component that can cause sedation, pleasure (a “high”), and impairment. Instead, it is said to offer relaxing and pain-relieving properties.
Individual reactions vary, but peak CBD concentrations in a person’s blood plasma are normally reached three to four hours after consuming it orally.
CBD use is on the rise in Western countries, according to a recent University of Sydney study, with about 55,000 requests for medicinal CBD being authorized in Australia since 2016. It’s most typically used to treat pain, insomnia, and anxiety.
About the research
In the study, which was published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, 17 people did simulated driving tasks after taking a placebo or 15, 300, or 1500 mg of CBD in oil. These are typical dosages: up to 150 mg per day for over-the-counter use, and up to 1500 mg per day for illnesses like epilepsy, pain, sleep difficulties, and anxiety.
Participants had to first keep a safe gap between themselves and a lead car before ‘driving’ on freeways and country roads. To cover the range of plasma concentrations at different times, they completed the test 45-75 minutes after taking their allocated therapy, and then again between 3.5 and four hours later. They repeated this procedure for each of the four treatments (placebo plus three different doses).
Participants’ control of the simulated car, as evaluated by how much it wove or drifted (a standardized measure of driving competence), as well as their cognitive function, subjective experiences, and CBD concentrations in their plasma, were all measured by the researchers.
They came to the conclusion that no dose of CBD caused intoxication or impaired driving or cognitive performance.
“We do, however, caution that this study looked at CBD in isolation only, and that drivers taking CBD with other medications should do so with care,” Dr. McCartney added.
A study from the University of Sydney in 2020 discovered that very low amounts of vaporized (‘vaped’) CBD — an uncommon method of consuming the substance – were safe for drivers.
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