Darklight Posted October 2, 2003 More news from the MAPS drugnews-digest list. I hate crossposting, but its an interesting read. Drugnews digest is very high volume, but eminently worth checking out, subscribe via the MAPS site _____________________________________ CRASH RISK IS DRIVER, NOT DRUG NEW research into marijuana use and car crash injury suggests the drug does not cause accidents, it is more the personalities of the risk takers who use it. A five-year study, to be published later this year, shows habitual users who get stoned more than seven times a week are 10 times more likely to die in a crash than occasional users who drive under its influence. "What we actually found was that habitual marijuana use is a strong predictor of a car crash," University of Sydney research fellow Stephanie Blows told the Australian Epidemiology Association's annual conference at the University of WA yesterday. "The effect of the drug was not as strong as we thought and this is because marijuana use per se is not a strong risk factor." Habitual marijuana use was a strong indicator of risk-taking but other risk factors such as alcohol and speed were more likely to contribute to a crash. The research related to more than 1000 drivers from car crashes in Auckland, about 6 per cent of whom took marijuana in the three hours before the crash. Of these drivers, 10 per cent were habitual marijuana users. Dr Blows said the findings added to a growing pool of research to help guide government policy. But studies were hampered by the small number of drivers who used marijuana and the need for blood tests to confirm a driver was under its influence. The Victorian Government announced this month it would introduce the world's first random roadside drug tests next year. "I think the importance of this research is showing that it is probably misguided to just focus on drug use," Dr Blows said. "You have got to look at the type of person who takes the drug and then gets behind the wheel." Also yesterday, a conference in Melbourne was told servies for psychotic people put too much emphasis on getting them off drugs such as cannabis, amphetamines and alcohol. A newer school of thought says they should be encouraged to learn ways to manage drug use, such as substituting a couple of beers for a line of speed. The conference was told half of the one in 100 Australians with schizophrenia, severe depression or bipolar disorder had a drug or alcohol problem. Include tobacco and the number was about 98 per cent of inpatients. The director of health sciences at the University of Queensland, David Kavanagh, said people with a psychotic illness usually took drugs for the same reasons most people did but tended to have severe reactions. While some people believed the focus should be to get them to quit all drugs, he believed it was important to help them not make as many mistakes with drugs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted October 2, 2003 so, a couple of beers is better than a line of speed? considering booze is far more addictive, this is the last encouragement a druggie needs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mescalito Posted October 2, 2003 Trouble is they don't teach you to drive STONED :D :D :D ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theobromos Posted October 2, 2003 Dr Blows? New Scientist had a whole slew of these appropriately named authors, are people subconsciously prompted into researching subjects referred to by their names? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nabraxas Posted October 2, 2003 mesc- my RAC instructor could tell when i hadn't had a smoke before a lesson(which was most times), as i was abit more nervy in traffic- he'd say "you haven't been using those hippy beads today, have you?" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gomaos Posted October 2, 2003 Many professional drivers use MJ regularly, i.e. need it to function, and never have accidents. Beer/alcohol is far more dangerous while driving.... Now "speed" is a whole differerent chapter... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shorza Posted October 6, 2003 Darklight:...A five-year study, to be published later this year, shows habitual users who get stoned more than seven times a week are 10 times more likely to die in a crash than occasional users who drive under its influence... Are they really more likely to die in a crash, or should it read have a crash? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mescalito Posted October 6, 2003 nabraxas:mesc- my RAC instructor could tell when i hadn't had a smoke before a lesson(which was most times), as i was abit more nervy in traffic- he'd say "you haven't been using those hippy beads today, have you?" LOL :D Reminds me of dream I had where I drove stoned for the frist time...the control panel lit up,the turbines ignited,under-carriage folded up..."man this is like a land-speeder or something"...'Cool ,eh?' But that was a dream. Side-note: 3 crashes to date....none my fault [ 05. October 2003, 22:25: Message edited by: mescalito ] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gomaos Posted October 6, 2003 ...A five-year study, to be published later this year, shows habitual users who get stoned more than seven times a week are 10 times more likely to die in a crash than occasional users who drive under its influence... No crashes in the last 19 years (knocks on wood) and i had a car most of the time... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mescalito Posted October 6, 2003 Here's a tip! Get stoned before you get ya photo taken at the rego office ...! You'll look the same! (or move your head side to side for the pic so when the copper looks at ya license he'll think he's had one too many and let ya off !) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
narayan Posted October 6, 2003 Could just be me but when i'm driving after toking my sense of direction gets amplified, its like i've got a map in my head or something. (When i'm in a lucid dream of course) LOL mesc, i'll have to do that when I go to get my photo renewed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mescalito Posted October 6, 2003 Honestly I'm not condoning drug use when driving,but everybody reacts differently to intoxication as far as cognition,reaction time,mood.....etc. i.e I'm half the weight of my old mates,but could always drink more AND keep it together...in fact I was the preferred driver(go figure) IMHO If you can walk staight,talk without slurring,and turn an ashtray upside down, then back the right way up without spilling the butts....you can drive (don't take me seriously) :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted October 6, 2003 a couple of decades ago i saw a doco on drink driving. it tested the reaction time to break in a car travelling at 60kph. One suject was sober, one was drunk 0.08 and one was a habitual alcoholic who was at his *normal* consumption level of .15 The sober guy and the alcoholic reacted in exactly the same time frame, whereas the 0.08 guy failed dismally every time (the first time he entirely missed the signal to break). I thought this was intresting, as most drug laws are made by people who are generally sober/straight and who would feel the difference between their normal sober state and their inebriated state the most. It all makes sense really. Otherwise the area we live in would have a dramatically higher incidence of accidents than other parts of australia where pot smoking isn't so prevalent The moral of the story?? don't sober or straighten up Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mescalito Posted October 7, 2003 LMFAO :D :D :D :D Man,as a kid, I remember fox hunting with my Dad and Uncle in an old HR ute. 1 X .22 Calibre 1 X Winchester D/B shotty 1 X K.B. long-neck each,between their knees at all times...............mad shit! Always felt safe though Hey...I'm still posting aren't I? [ 06. October 2003, 22:59: Message edited by: mescalito ] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
t st tantra Posted October 8, 2003 Darklight:The research related to more than 1000 drivers from car crashes in Auckland, about 6 per cent of whom took marijuana in the three hours before the crash. Of these drivers, 10 per cent were habitual marijuana users.its early in the morning and my head is pretty thick,i also dont know how to do this reply with quotes thing,but if 90%of these stoned drivers are not habitual users how do they get the result they claim? t s t . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FragmentedSanity Posted October 12, 2003 hehe maybe I missed something in the report but it basically seemed to say that someone who toke's all the time is more likley to crash while stoned than a person who only smokes "occasionally" Isnt that just maths? if I spend 10 of my 12 waking hours stoned then im more likley to crash my car stoned than the guy down the road that lights up once a decade is... **wonders if people get paid to do these studies... I could manage better than that in the other 2 hours ** I think the only way society will ever be safe is when the powers that be finally realise the need to outlaw brains! lobotomies at birth for all! insert a little chip with a link back to the main frame and humanity will be reduced to the mindless automotons required by the status quo. You see our own brain ultimately affects our cognitive state (and lets face it - brians can produce some rather nifty drugs of their own). Have you ever seen someone who goes driving whenever they get sad? and by sad I mean cant see through the tears sad? replace sad with any other emotion - anger - even bliss, the result is the same - someone who is in no fit state to drive. In the end the individual needs to know honestly themselves. But it matters not, as laws will continue to florish until thinking's outlawed. But dont mind me - Im jaded. FS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
