Drivers stoned on marijuana test their driving skills

Summary

In an experiment to test the effects of marijuana on driving, three volunteers with varying usage habits smoked pot and drove a course monitored by a driving instructor. Initial tests showed different levels of impairment, with one volunteer already over the legal limit. As marijuana consumption increased, driving skills deteriorated, with one volunteer driving dangerously slow and another almost hitting a photographer. A drug recognition expert's evaluation confirmed that all would have been arrested for driving under the influence.

Takeaways

• 🚗 The experiment tested the driving skills of three volunteers under the influence of marijuana.
• 👩‍⚕️ Adi, a 27-year-old medical marijuana patient and heavy daily user, started the test three times over the legal limit.
• 🧑‍💼 Dylan, a 34-year-old weekend marijuana user, began with no detectable marijuana in his system.
• 👨‍🦳 Jeff, a 56-year-old occasional user, also started with no marijuana detected in his system.
• 🚬 Each volunteer smoked 0.3 grams of marijuana before retaking the driving course.
• 🚦 Adi, at seven times the legal limit, drove slowly and struck a traffic cone but was still driving okay.
• 🚨 Dylan, at five times the legal limit, drove fine initially but later had trouble remembering the course and nearly hit a photographer.
• 🛑 Jeff, at four times the legal limit, drove very slowly, which could attract police attention, and agreed he should not be on the road.
• 📉 With increasing marijuana intake, all volunteers showed signs of impairment and were evaluated by a drug recognition expert.
• 👮 All three volunteers exhibited issues in the 12-step evaluation and would have been arrested for driving under the influence.

Q & A

What was the purpose of the experiment conducted by the Thurston County Sheriff's Office?

The purpose of the experiment was to test the basic driving skills of volunteers under the influence of marijuana.

Who was the driving instructor present during the experiment?

Cascade driving-school instructor Mike Jackson was present, who had a brake on his side of the vehicle for safety.

How many volunteers participated in the experiment, and what were their marijuana usage habits?

Three volunteers participated: Adi, a heavy daily user; Dylan, a weekend user; and Jeff, an occasional user.

What was Adi's initial THC level, and how did it compare to the legal limit?

Adi's initial THC level was nearly 16 nanograms, which is three times the legal limit of 5 nanograms.

How did Adi perform during her initial driving test?

Adi turned too sharply at a stop sign and clipped a camera, but the instructor noted her driving was generally fine.

What were the initial THC levels for Dylan and Jeff before they smoked marijuana during the experiment?

Both Dylan and Jeff had no detectable marijuana in their systems initially.

How did the driving performance of the volunteers change after smoking 3/10 of a gram of marijuana?

Adi drove slower and struck a traffic cone; Dylan drove fine but had 26 nanograms of THC; Jeff drove cautiously and slowly with 22 nanograms of THC.

What was the outcome after the volunteers smoked 9/10 of a gram of marijuana?

Dylan had trouble remembering the course and required the instructor to grab the wheel; Jeff's driving became very slow, and he backed over a cone; Adi became more aggressive but made no major mistakes.

How did Adi's driving behavior change after smoking a total of 1.4 grams of marijuana?

Adi drove with no restraint and backed into a cone within 30 seconds, indicating she would not be safe on a public road.

What was the conclusion of the experiment regarding the volunteers' driving capabilities?

All three volunteers were deemed impaired and would have been arrested for driving under the influence based on a 12-step evaluation by a drug recognition expert.