Here’s what pot smokers think about driving while high

Many cannabis-culture celebrations will take place on 4/20 (April 20), so here’s a look at some pot smokers’ opinions on driving and tips to self-assess if you are too high.

Statistics show that alcohol and opiates are involved in more automobile accidents and fatalities than cannabis. But cannabis can still impair drivers, and it’s against the law to drive while high.

If a California police officer suspects any driver is impaired by any intoxicant, that driver may get locked up and that’s the ultimate downer.

A 2017 AAA report surveyed American drivers age 16 or older and found 65.8% felt it was unacceptable to drive after using marijuana.

Detection of marijuana in drivers involved in crashes has become more common. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 12.6% of weekend nighttime drivers in 2013-2014 tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient in marijuana, and that’s before recreational use was legalized in California.

With 4/20 on a weekend the percentage of buzzed drivers might be substantially higher.A survey of cannabis users that came out this month sheds some light on attitudes about driving and weed.

Rolling on the road

Researchers are still exploring how marijuana affects drivers, and users don’t have many methods of knowing how long it takes for them to become safe to drive.

The Zebra, an insurance comparison site, released a survey of 811 drivers who smoke pot from the 10 states where recreational use is legal. Here are some of the questions and responses.

How do you decide whether or not you’re OK to drive after consuming marijuana?

Length of high?

Inhaling weed: expect about one to two hours.

Edible: about three to four hours, maybe longer.

Impairment from weed

A little more than half the people in the Zebra survey felt they had no driving impairment after using cannabis.

Here are the top responses to the question: Which of the following do you recall experiencing when driving after consuming marijuana?

Field tests

Some police agencies have roadside tests than can detect marijuana and other drugs in saliva and take about eight minutes for a result. But failing field tests on the side of the road can be enough to get a ride to the clink.Police have many ways to test for impaired driving, but see if you can pass these three tests.

Horizontal gaze nystagmus test

The NHTSA estimates that these tests are 77% reliable.

In the horizontal gaze test, an officer moves an object, from side to side. It’s done to try to detect an involuntary jerking of the eye associated with high levels of intoxication. A person’s eye will reportedly jerk naturally after being strained beyond a 45 degree angle, but if the eye begins to jerk before, it can indicate a driver is under the influence.

Walk and turn test

The NHTSA estimates this test is accurate 68% of the time.

The walk and turn test splits attention between physical and mental tasks. The officer provides instructions such as, “When I say go, walk nine steps, heel to toe on the line, then turn around and walk back.”

The officer will look for:

• Loss of balance
• Wrong number of steps
• Inability to stay on the line
• Breaks in walking
• Beginning before instructed

One leg stand test

The NHTSA estimates this test is accurate 65% of the time.

During the “one leg stand,” an officer will instruct the suspect to raise a foot, hold still, count and look down.

An officer may arrest the suspect if any of the following behaviors are observed:

• Swaying
• Hopping
• Putting foot down

Sources: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, The Zebra, AAA, Weedmaps.com