Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38822413›Full record

ArticleJournal of cannabis research2024

The effect of cannabis edibles on driving and blood THC.

S Zhao, B Brands, P Kaduri, C M Wickens, O S M Hasan, S Chen, B Le Foll, P Di Ciano

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cannabis research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Association of driving with blood delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol: a systematic review.The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology · 2025
    Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

S ZhaoInstitute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
B BrandsInstitute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
P KaduriAddictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
C M WickensInstitute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
O S M HasanInstitute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
S ChenBiostatistics Core, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
B Le FollInstitute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
P Di CianoInstitute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada. Patricia.diciano@camh.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8509-295X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCannabis has been shown to impact driving due to changes produced by delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis. Current legal thresholds for blood THC while driving are based predominantly on evidence utilizing smoked cannabis. It is known that levels of THC in blood are lower after eating cannabis as compared to smoking yet the impact of edibles on driving and associated blood THC has never been studied.

methodsParticipants drove a driving simulator before and after ingesting their preferred legally purchased cannabis edible. In a counterbalanced control session, participants did not consume any THC or cannabidiol (CBD). Blood was collected for measurement of THC and metabolites as well as CBD. Subjective experience was also assessed.

resultsParticipants consumed edibles with, on average, 7.3 mg of THC, which is less than the maximum amount available in a single retail package in Ontario, providing an ecologically valid test of cannabis edibles. Compared to control, cannabis edibles produced a decrease in mean speed 2 h after consumption but not at 4 and 6 h. Under dual task conditions in which participants completed a secondary task while driving, changes in speed were not significant after the correction for multiple comparison. No changes in standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP; 'weaving'), maximum speed, standard deviation of speed or reaction time were found at any time point or under either standard or dual task conditions. Mean THC levels were significantly increased, relative to control, after consuming the edible but remained relatively low at approximately 2.8 ng/mL 2 h after consumption. Driving impairment was not correlated with blood THC. Subjective experience was altered for 7 h and participants were less willing/able to drive for up to 6 h, suggesting that the edible was intoxicating.

interpretationThis is the first study of the impact of cannabis edibles on simulated driving. Edibles were intoxicating as revealed by the results of subjective assessments (VAS), and there was some impact on driving. Detection of driving impairment after the use of cannabis edibles may be difficult.

Indexed as

Addiction MedicineBloodCannabisCannabis EdiblesPharmacology and ToxicologyPublic HealthSafetySimulated Driving

Identifiers

PMID38822413
PMCPMC11140993

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.