#20 - Stoned Drivers

"People on 'ludes should not drive." This elementary declaration made by the infamous Jeff Spicoli from the 1980's movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High should ring indisputable to anyone who's ever clutched a steering wheel (The Quaalude was a popular sedative in the 70's). And if you've seen the movie, you'll remember the defining scene where the epitome of stoner stupidity is blatantly displayed just before he totals Charles Jefferson's shiny silver Camaro while puffing a proverbial brain dart. And so goes the debate of cannabis use while operating a motor vehicle. Is it safe to be under the influence, and if not, can it be accurately proven when you are caught? Marijuana is a mind-altering substance thanks to the psychoactive properties of THC. Therefore, you will experience life through a different lens as the compounds from the magic plant integrate into your bloodstream and attach to your endocannabinoid receptors, modifying your perception. Many would argue that It's not that your motor skills that are affected, but instead, your grasp of reality. So, what is the danger? Well, one time my friend Edible Ed ate a 200-milligram dose of Leaf Chews and tried to drive 3 blocks to a convenient store. He didn't make it. Looking traumatized and weirded out at the end of his own driveway when we arrived, he claimed that he was lucky to be alive having nearly been trampled by a giant armadillo. This turned out to be a hunched, little old cat lady driving a Prius. "People on edibles should not drive."