HomeCar NewsDoes CBD Impact Your Ability to Drive?

Does CBD Impact Your Ability to Drive?

The popularity of CBD is increasing rapidly in Western nations, with one in seven Americans enjoying it. This widespread use emanates from its health and therapeutic benefits and legalization in some States. Many CBD users wonder whether they can drive after using CBD and CBD-infused products. As long as you buy the best CBD possible, the product remains driver-safe and does not impair your driving. Know more about CBD and its benefits from CBDClinicals.

Does CBD Affect Your Driving Ability?

No, CBD does not affect a person’s ability to drive. A survey conducted at the University of Sydney affirms that CBD has a negligible impact on cognitive function, including driving, even when taken in high doses. As such, it does not impede a person’s driving capacity nor make them feel intoxicated.

In the study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, a driving simulator was used to measure the driving ability of two groups of participants; those who took CBD and an inactive placebo. Participants who had taken CBD did not report increased drifting rates on the driving simulator. The drifting rate was much smaller compared to people intoxicated with other drugs. Participants were tested in vehicle control tasks, including following other vehicles and driving on rural and highway roads.

One remarkable thing about this study is its use of standard CBD doses of between 15 and 1,500 milligrams. None of the doses affected tasks on the driving simulator before and after administration. In fact, respondents who consumed 300 and 1,500 milligrams of CBD had lower anxiety levels, confirming past research that CBD has anti-anxiety properties.

CBD’s impact does not exceed the legal limit of blood alcohol concentration (BAC). CBD exhibited a BAC of below 0.05%, way below the legal limit of 0.08% in most American States. According to Forbes, CBD is not a controlled substance in the US, reducing the probability of someone getting arrested for DUI or DWI.

CBD is driver-safe primarily because it is ‘non-intoxicating’ or ‘non-psychoactive.’ CBD does not contain THC, a cannabis compound generating the ‘high sensation.’ While both CBD and THC are active ingredients of cannabis, they have distinct effects on the body. THC may compromise judgment, reaction time, and motor coordination, impairing one’s driving ability. However, mislabeled CBD products with high concentrations of THC jeopardize driving, and you can be arrested for DWI.

Why Do People Use CBD While Driving?

CBD proponents suppose it is a miracle herb with tons of health benefits. Drivers may use CBD as they attempt to harness these benefits and improve their health and life quality. While research on the perks of CBD is ongoing, it may ease conditions like anxiety, epilepsy, chronic pain, inflammation, and migraines. CBD is prominent in wellness due to its soothing and calming benefits.

Driving can be daunting, especially on busy city roads, and can induce anxiety for many people. A recent study shows that 66% of Americans have driving anxiety, especially when merging onto the highway and backing up. Driving anxiety symptoms include shaking, sweating, panicking, difficulty concentrating, and a racing heartbeat.

CBD can help reduce driving anxiety by encouraging relaxation and calmness, relieving stress, and improving concentration. A 2015 medical journal review revealed CBD’s potential in treating multiple anxiety disorders such as PTSD and panic disorders, though more research is needed to back the claim.

CBD may be helpful for student drivers and other anxious drivers. It increased their courage, allowing them to be more alert and focused on the road, decreasing anxiety-related accidents and incidents on the road. These drivers can get CBD-infused products like gummies, oils, chocolates, tinctures, capsules, and food items.

Caution Using CBD When Driving

While CBD does not negatively impact a person’s driving ability, caution should be exercised in three scenarios. First, drowsiness is a renowned CBD side effect. Some people may experience the symptom while driving, impacting their ability to control the vehicle and make rational judgments.

Second, research on how CBD interacts with other medications like pain medications and antidepressants is still in its infancy. CBD may react with other meds to compromise driving capacity.

Lastly, impure forms of CBD may have other components of cannabis, including THC, thus hurting driving. As such, drivers need to consume pure and approved CBD products from reputable suppliers to preserve their cognitive performance.

Final Thoughts

The use of CBD has grown substantially over the years, with millions of Americans using the product for various medical and psychiatric conditions. Although current research reveals that CBD does not affect driving, further studies are necessary to prove this without a doubt. CBD can also help anxious drivers increase focus and concentration behind the wheel.

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Anoj Kumar
Anoj Kumar
Anoj Kumar is the Editorial Director for the AutoFreak. Anoj has been consistently named one of the top Influencers and Author by independent organizations. He is a frequently quoted source in Auto-Mobile.
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