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Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study
Published on: August 18, 2020
Cannabis-impaired driving and Canadian youth
Jeff R Brubacher1, Herbert Chan1, John A Staples2
1Faculty of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Abstract:
Acute cannabis use results in inattention, delayed information processing, impaired coordination, and slowed reaction time. Driving simulator studies and epidemiologic analyses suggest that cannabis use increases motor vehicle crash risk. How much concern should we have regarding cannabis associated motor vehicle collision risks among younger drivers? This article summarizes why young, inexperienced drivers may be at a particularly high risk of crashing after using cannabis. We describe the epidemiology of cannabis use among younger drivers, why combining cannabis with alcohol causes significant impairment and why cannabis edibles may pose a heightened risk to traffic safety. We provide recommendations for clinicians counselling younger drivers about cannabis use and driving.
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