This is almost a year old, but hey, I didn't know about it so you might not have known about it either! I would just like to note that I have been both diagnosed with ADHD and have had several speeding tickets/altercations with other vehicles. From now on, I am only driving high. This article is justification for my self-medication:
Science: THC normalized impaired psychomotor performance and mood in a patient with hyperactivity disorder
BBSNews 2007-10-01 -- (IACM) Scientists at the Department for Forensic and Traffic Medicine of the University of Heidelberg, Germany, investigated the effects of cannabis on driving related functions in a 28 year old man with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He had violated traffic regulations several times in recent years and his driving licence was revoked due to driving under the influence of cannabis. He showed abnormal behaviour, seemed to be significantly maladjusted and his concentration was heavily impaired while sober during the first meeting with a psychologist. He was allowed to perform driving related tests under the influence of the cannabis compound dronabinol (THC), which his doctor had prescribed him to treat his symptoms. The examiner expected that he was not able to drive a car under the acute influence of THC.
But at the second visit his behaviour was markedly improved and he performed average and partly above-average in all tests on reaction speed, sustained attention, visual orientation, perception speed and divided attention. A blood sample taken after the tests revealed a high THC concentration of 71 ng/ml in blood serum. He admitted later to have smoked cannabis and not taken dronabinol, because it was too expensive. Researchers noted that "people with ADHD are found to violate traffic regulations, to commit criminal offences and to be involved in traffic accidents more often than the statistical norm" and conclude from their investigation that "it has to be taken into account that in persons with ADHD THC may have atypical and even performance-enhancing effects."
(Source: Strohbeck-Kuehner P, Skopp G, Mattern R. Fahrtüchtigkeit trotz (wegen) THC. [Fitness to drive in spite (because) of THC] [Article in German] Arch Kriminol 2007;220(1-2):11-9.)
I will tell you that I don't make a habit of driving when stoned, but I'm going to starting today. It is true that when I drive stoned, I am very much aware of my speed and everything going on around me. It's a very deep, intrinsic focus on driving. There is no road rage - in fact, I'm far more likely to praise other drivers than to yell at them. Examples:
I feel the sympathy of other drivers: (gesturing for a car in the other lane to merge over in front of me) "Yeah dude, come on over here in front of me, I won't bite. Bein' in the left lane when you need to be in the right lane sucks like eight bitches in a bitch boat...yeah."
I wave a lot. Slowly.
I compliment other cars and drivers: "Dude look at this chick in the S class. She is a fuckin' baller. She's got like, big bangin' sunglasses and rollin' in her S all over town. S must stand for fuckin' swanky, because that's what she is and she totally knows it. I just wanna like, fuckin' tell her or something. You know, like, maybe wave. Fuck it, I'm high."
What do you think? If all the ADHD drivers were stoned, would that put you a little more at ease as you head for the road?
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