Study from West Virginia University to investigate impact of CBD on driving performance

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Researchers at West Virginia University have announced (1) a new study investigated the impact of cannabidiol (CBD) consumption on driving performance, and how that differs for men and women. The study of 300 participants expands on a previous pilot trial from 2021 (2). In that trial, 30 people were randomized to receive either 300 mg of CBD (n=21) or placebo (n=19) by oral syringe. They then completed a 40-minute driving simulation.

The primary outcome studied were the “mean SD of lateral position, total percent time the individual drove outside travel lanes, total collisions, time to initial collision, and mean brake reaction time.” Results of the earlier study did not find statistically significant differences in driving performance, but the researchers acknowledge the study was underpowered. While not statistically significant, researchers did find that those taking CBD, “experienced slightly more collisions and had slightly higher mean SD of lateral position and slower brake reaction times than those who received placebo."

“We want to dive into that more to see if that relationship truly exists. This is going to be one of the largest CBD studies in terms of the number of people,” said Toni Rudisill, assistant professor in the WVU School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, in a press release. That same press release explains that the five-year study will be supported by a $2.2 million grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse.

In the new study, participants will complete baseline assessments including cognitive and psychomotor tests before doing practice runs on a driving simulator. After this, participants will be given either placebo, 150 mg, or 300 mg of CBD before once again completing a driving simulation.

“They will hang out with us for two hours, eat breakfast and go for a longer drive on the simulator,” explained Rudisill. “After that, they will retake all the cognitive and psychomotor tests and finish an end-of-study questionnaire.”

The motivation behind the study, says Rudisill is CBD is easily accessible, but little is known about how it impacts individuals. Some reported side effects include sedation and drowsiness, therefore, assessing its impact on driving performance elucidate any potential safety concerns.

References

1. WVU researchers putting CBD to the test from behind the wheel. WVUToday. October 14, 2024. https://wvutoday.wvu.edu/stories/2024/10/14/wvu-researchers-putting-cbd-to-the-test-from-behind-the-wheel (accessed 2024-10-21).
2. Rudisill, T.M.; Innes, K.; Wen, S.; Haggerty, T.; Smith, G.S. The Effects of Cannabidiol on the Driving Performance of Healthy Adults: A Pilot RCT. AJPM Focus. 2023, 2 (1), 100053. DOI: 10.1016/j.focus.2022.100053