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AUTOMOTIVE Getty Images SPRING 2018 BCA A .COM 27 When legalization comes into effect later this year, licensed dispensaries, private shops and government-run outlets (including online) will be permitted to sell recreational cannabis. How cannabis affects driving ability To understand why driving and cannabis don't mix, let's start with a bit about weed itself, a.k.a. pot, ganja, herb, reefer, Mary Jane, bud, dank (yes, it's a plant of many nicknames). When you smoke, vape or eat the stuff, its active ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol ( THC), travels through your body and into your brain, acting on areas that control pleasure, memory, concentration, motor control, coordination and sensory perception. You may experience slightly different effects from different forms of cannabis – dried leaf versus oil, for instance – and the two strains of the plant, indica and sativa. But none of that matters much when it comes to driving: impairment is impairment. So how does cannabis impair? For starters, it slows down reaction time. It also interferes with your motor skills, and ability to pay attention and multitask. "Drivers intoxicated by cannabis are likely to weave more," says Dr. Jeff Brubacher, clinical toxicologist and UBC Department of Emergency Medicine Associate Professor, specializing in cannabis-and-driving research. "They may weave right out of the lane or off the road, and they may be more easily distracted than if they're sober." People who smoke and drive often rationalize by saying "weed affects everyone differently." And it's true to a degree. Body size and composition, tolerance and dose can all affect your high. A few puffs might give one person a mild buzz and get another totally intoxicated. But let's face it: this is exactly why you should avoid cannabis altogether if you're getting behind the wheel. There is no way for drivers to measure their own impairment, other than how they feel, which can be misleading.

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