Cannabis does not cause “next-day impairment” researchers found in a new study published last week in the journal Psychopharmacology. Researchers found little evidence to suggest that THC can impact a person’s performance the next day, though any experienced smoker could tell you the same.
Researchers observed 20 adults with physician-diagnosed insomnia who consumed cannabis irregularly, gathering existing data from a larger study investigating the effects of THC and CBD on insomnia. Since the participants were taking THC and CBD right before bedtime, it was a perfect pool of subjects to examine next-day effects.
People received either a 2 ml dose of cannabis oil containing 10 mg THC and 200 mg CBD, or a placebo, being randomly selected. Within two hours of waking up, participants had to complete cognitive tasks and psychomotor tests.
The study shows that people who took 10 mg of THC, the intoxicating ingredient, showed little to no impairment the next day, suggesting that it’s entirely safe to drive after taking cannabis the night before. People who took THC before bedtime nearly aced the test the next day. Participants showed “no differences in ‘next day’ performance in 27 out of 28 tests of cognitive and psychomotor function and simulated driving tests relative to placebo.”
“The use of cannabis by night as a sleep aid is highly prevalent and there are legitimate concerns that this may lead to impaired daytime (‘next day’) function, particularly on safety sensitive tasks such as driving,” said the researchers at Macquarie University in Sydney, the University of Sydney, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, Gold Coast-based Griffith University and Johns Hopkins University.
The study was written by Anastasia Suraev, Danielle McCartney, Nathaniel S. Marshall, Christopher Irwin, Ryan Vandrey, Ronald R. Grunstein, Angela L. D’Rozario, Christopher Gordon, Delwyn Bartlett, Camilla M. Hoyos and Iain S. McGregor. Many are associated …
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Author: Benjamin M. Adams / High Times
