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This week (17th - 23rd of November) marks Road Safety Week - a national, annual event that aims to raise awareness for road safety, highlight issues across the country, and raise funds for victims of road accidents. In honour of this important event, we’re taking a closer look at the implications of CBD for road safety. We’ll be explaining the effects of CBD and the rules around its use to answer the question: Can I drive after taking CBD?
Road Safety Week 2024
Every year, road safety charity Brake holds its annual awareness campaign, Road Safety Week. This year’s campaign is putting road victims at its heart to raise awareness of the toll of road accidents and to celebrate the people who support victims. This will include the development of a Road Victims’ Charter calling for increased funding and parity of care for road victims and their families.
What are the Effects of CBD?
Cannabidiol (CBD) has become a popular ingredient in the health and wellness world. It is one of a number of chemical compounds (called cannabinoids) that are found in the cannabis plant. It can be extracted from these plants - most commonly from low-THC hemp varieties - and added to a wide range of products, including CBD skincare, CBD oils, and even edible products like CBD gummies and honey!
CBD has been found to possess several potential health benefits, including:
When taken in recommended doses, CBD is said to be safe and tolerable (as assessed by the World Health Organisation). In some cases, CBD-based medicines can be considered in the treatment of certain conditions; however, these must be prescribed by a specialist doctor and are not to be confused with over-the-counter CBD products.
While CBD is generally considered to be safe for most people, it is important to also be aware of the potential side effects of this popular cannabis compound. CBD is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid - that is, it is not considered to cause impairment. However, in higher doses, it may be associated with:
CBD and Road Safety
CBD products are legal in the UK, so long as the final product does not exceed 1mg of THC - the primary psychoactive component of cannabis. As such, there are no laws prohibiting driving after the use of legally compliant CBD products. Consumers can therefore continue to drive after vaping, eating, or otherwise administering CBD.
However, it is important to always purchase your CBD products from a trusted supplier that provides certificates of analysis and has completed Novel Foods authorisation applications. Taking these precautions will help to ensure you do not accidentally exceed the legal THC driving limit. Doing so could cause impairment, resulting in road safety issues and potentially see you facing legal action.
Be aware of potential CBD side effects
The legal limit for THC when driving is 2 micrograms per litre of blood. While it is exceedingly unlikely that you will reach this limit while using high-quality CBD products, you should also be aware of any individual effects that these products may have on you. As mentioned above, CBD can cause side effects, including drowsiness - the extent of which can vary significantly from person to person.
If you feel that your CBD use has caused you to feel tired or drowsy, you should consider whether these effects may affect your ability to drive safely. If so, you should wait until the effects pass before getting behind the wheel in order to ensure your own safety and the safety of others on the road. You may also wish to reduce your CBD dose to reduce the risk of this sed effect.
Conclusion
CBD is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid. This means it does not cause the “high” that is generally associated with cannabis. However, in higher doses, it may cause drowsiness, which in turn, could affect your ability to drive safely. Moreover, purchasing CBD products from untrustworthy sources increases your risk of THC exposure. Therefore, you should always purchase from a trusted manufacturer and carefully assess the effects of the products before increasing your dose.
If you ensure all of these criteria are met, there is no reason you can’t get behind the wheel after using CBD!
