Researchers are looking for volunteers to participate in a study involving cannabis and impaired driving

Researchers at Colorado’s School of Public Health are searching for volunteer daily and weekly cannabis consumers, as well as those who do not consume (to act as control subjects), to complete a new study involving cannabis and driving.

The study is looking into how cannabis affects daily and weekly cannabis users, in addition to those who abstain.

“The goal is to better understand impaired driving so that we can prevent impaired driving,” said Assistant Professor Ashley Brooks-Russell, of the Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

“We know that certain drugs really deteriorate people’s performance behind the wheel. Alcohol is the classic example for that,” said study co-director Michael Kosnett, an Associate Clinical Professor and Medical Toxicologist. “Our understanding of how cannabis affects driving is less well developed.”

Participants in the study, who are involved on a volunteer basis, test their skills behind the wheel before and after consuming cannabis. They are also subjected to other tests, including those that measure hand-eye co-ordination, decision-making and eye movement through the use of iPads and VR goggles, in the hopes that one or several of those tools could enable authorities to improve the accuracy of field sobriety testing.

“So, this is one more tool they could bring to the roadside to understand impairment,” said Brooks-Russell.

Volunteer participants must supply 100 percent of their own cannabis, and will be financially compensated for their participation. Participants must be between the ages of 25 to 46 with an active driver’s license. Those interested in becoming involved can check out the details here to learn more.