This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Cannabis and motor skills

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Cannabis and motor skills

  • cannabis can affect motor control - cannabis also impairs balance, tracking ability, hand-eye co-ordination, reaction time and physical strength
    • with respect to driving, there is evidence that cannabis use increases accident risk (1)
  • even a very low dose e.g. 20mg of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can cause driving skills to deteriorate, and a single joint may deliver as much as 300mg of THC
    • THC is fat-soluble and therefore persists in the body far longer than alcohol - therefore the effects on motor function and co-ordination are persistent
      • airline pilots who were tested after a small dose of 20mg of THC could not land their planes properly on flight simulators, even 24 hours after ingestion - the majority of the pilots were unaware that they had any problems.
  • therefore the message relating to cannabis use and motor skills (e.g. driving, flying) is clear — a joint today then do not drive tomorrow
  • adverse effects of even a low dose of cannabis combined with alcohol were markedly greater than for either drug alone.

Reference:

  1. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2004;23(3):319-44.

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.