Per Se Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis Statutes and Blood Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Concentrations following Short-Term Cannabis Abstinence.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Several US states have per se laws using 2 or 5 ng/mL of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as cutpoints for driving under the influence of cannabis, while some have zero-tolerance statutes. These cutpoints are considered prima facia evidence of driving impairment.

Methods

In a cohort of people who regularly use cannabis (N = 190) we measured baseline concentrations of THC after instructing participants to abstain from cannabis for at least 48 hours. Baseline driving performance was evaluated using a driving simulator. We also measured blood THC concentrations serially following a smoking session (placebo or active cannabis).

Results

Forty-three percent of the participants exceeded zero-tolerance statutes (≥0.5 ng/mL) at baseline. Twenty-four percent had ba

SUBMITTER: Fitzgerald RL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12670588 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature