Cannabis and driving: Evidence and interventions

The question of the impact of cannabis use on driving performance and the risk of motor vehicle accidents is a topical one in the community, law enforcement, policy and public health communities. Although research examining this issue has gained momentum in recent years, the picture remains muddied by inconsistent findings and methodologies in past research. A concerning consequence of not being aware of new developments in this literature may partially explain the findings of a recent study suggesting that young people perceive the negative consequences of driving after cannabis use as less likely than those of driving after alcohol use, and that such perceptions are associated with increased engagement in, and frequency of, driving under the influence of cannabis. This paper will provide an overview of the current evidence and discuss existing and new cannabis and driving resources developed by the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre at the University of New South Wales.