MARIJUANA AND ALCOHOL: A DRIVER PERFORMANCE STUDY

Approximately 80 volunteer male marijuana and alcohol users received one of four experimental treatments: (1) marijuana, (2) alcohol, (3) marijuana and alcohol, or (4) double placebo. After consumption, each subject drove a vehicle over a test course which simulated a number of real-world driving conditions. Four post-drug runs were involved, separated by one-hour intervals. The subject's performance was rated by an in-car examiner, outside observers, and computerized vehicle measurements. Blood and urine specimens were extracted after each run to establish levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), serum carboxy, and alcohol. A variety of multivariate statistical techniques were applied in evaluating treatment effects. Both marijuana and alcohol had significant effects on driving performance, and the effects were particularly detrimental under the both-drugs treatment. The effects of marijuana were more rapid than those of alcohol and somewhat less severe for most tasks.

• Corporate Authors:

  California Department of Justice

  1515 K Street, Suite 511
  Sacramento, CA  United States  95814
• Authors:
  • BIASOTTI, A A
  • Boland, P
  • Mallory, C
  • Peck, R
  • Reeve, V C
• Publication Date: 1986-9

Media Info

• Pagination: 187 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Blood alcohol levels; Driver performance; Drivers; Driving simulators; Drunk driving; Ethanol; Marijuana; Personnel performance; Physiological aspects
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00472960
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 30 1987 12:00AM