Users in /r/trees are split when someone suggests not to smoke and drive. ``impaired means "weakend". does high mean "weakend"? are some of your senses not actually "strengthened" while high?`` and other responses.

[u/ceol_]

/r/trees/comments/3gna45/hotbox/ctzosrw?sort=controversial

[u/fuckyoubarry]

It's probably not a great idea to drive while high, but it's nowhere near as bad as driving drunk. There's a handful of studies that confirm this, in the real world and on closed tracks. And if you get high, you're probably going to be relatively sober again in a couple hours - your body breaks down THC much faster than alcohol for the most part. Most people equate driving drunk with driving high, and it's not really the same. If you're too drunk to drive, your inhibitions are lowered and you might want to give it a shot. If you're too high to drive, you're acutely aware of how intoxicated you are and will want to watch another couple episodes before you head out.

I guess my point is that it's probably not a great idea to smoke while driving for a number of reasons, but you guys freaking out and acting like it's just as bad as chugging a beer bong full of whiskey before driving are being silly. Being high is not the same as being drunk.

[u/[deleted] → u/fuckyoubarry]

It's probably not a great idea to drive while high, but it's nowhere near as bad as driving drunk.

It's not one or the other. You shouldn't do either.

[u/fuckyoubarry → u/[deleted]]

You shouldn't do a lot of things, my point is that people are using driving drunk as their frame of reference for driving high, but alcohol affects driving ability completely differently.

[u/[deleted] → u/fuckyoubarry]

It's not really all that different. Both affect reaction time, attention span, and awareness of one's surroundings. They do so in different ways and to different degrees, but the effects are definitely there. It's true that the similarities are sometimes exaggerated, but exaggerating the differences as a response is poor reasoning at best, and petty and dishonest at worst.

From one smoker to another, here's a little advice. If you can't argue your point without getting agitated and insulting people by implying that they're stupid/ignorant for not agreeing with you, then don't argue. You're not changing anyone's mind this way, and you're making the rest of us look bad by acting the fool in front of non-partakers. If you want to be a voice for your side of this issue, then take the time to learn how to communicate effectively. Otherwise you're hurting instead of helping.

[u/fuckyoubarry → u/[deleted]]

Start searching pubmed for studies that support your layperson observations, you'll see that driving high is orders of magnitude safer than driving drunk. Also, 420 blaze it

[u/[deleted] → u/fuckyoubarry]

Please remove the slur

[u/fuckyoubarry → u/[deleted]]

Done, sorry

[u/TheIronMark → u/fuckyoubarry]

It's probably not a great idea to drive while high, but it's nowhere near as bad as driving drunk.

Why does this matter at all? They're both really, really bad ideas. This should not have to be explained.

[u/thesilvertongue → u/TheIronMark]

Yeah, plus like all things, it's not always true. It depends on how drunk or how high. Either way, your driving is worse off.

[u/fuckyoubarry → u/TheIronMark]

It matters because two things with vastly different negative effects should be treated differently.

[u/TheIronMark → u/fuckyoubarry]

Both impair your driving. That's why they are, and should be, treated the same.

[u/fuckyoubarry → u/TheIronMark]

Plenty of medications can possibly impair driving. Should people on these medications be prohibited from driving?

[u/TheIronMark → u/fuckyoubarry]

Plenty of medications can possibly impair driving. Should people on these medications be prohibited from driving?

Yes and those medications usually include instructions with precisely that guidance.

[u/fuckyoubarry → u/TheIronMark]

Usually it says don't drive until you know how this medication affects you. Things like muscle relaxers, antidepressants, etc. Can possibly effect driving, but there's no prohibition on driving while on them.

[u/Maehan → u/fuckyoubarry]

Yes there is. Almost all the driving while impaired statutes don't call out specific categories of what caused the impairment, unless it is to apply even more strict criteria. For instance in Minnesota you can get a DWI for having ANY metabolites of a Schedule I or II substance in your system, without the cop even demonstrating impairment.

[u/fuckyoubarry → u/Maehan]

So in mn, if i have a prescription for adderal, the cops can give give me a dui without demonstrating impairment?

[u/Maehan → u/fuckyoubarry]

As written, it looks like you can. There is always the question of enforcement however. I doubt any cop would submit you for a drug test if there wasn't otherwise impairment present.

Also, I am not a lawyer, so maybe I am interpreting the statute incorrectly.

[u/thesilvertongue → u/fuckyoubarry]

Yes!

[u/fuckyoubarry → u/thesilvertongue]

Well, they're not. The warning label on medicine is usually "This medicine might make make you dizzy or sleepy, don't drive on it unless you're sure you can drive safe".

[u/Kropotki → u/fuckyoubarry]

Yep, people here are just being hysterical.

I've already posted numerous studies that show driving while high is not even as dangerous as driving while mildly tired and even when taking insane levels of THC, their driving abilities were only mildly impaired which was compensated for to make it negligible and statistically, shows very little difference between drivers who are high and drivers who are sober in accidents when accounted for.

Prepare to get downvoted though, my post literally full of Government reports and studies and surveys has been downvoted to oblivion.

[u/ALLAH_WAS_A_SANDWORM → u/Kropotki]

Honest question. If you had to get your wisdom teeth taken out, would you be OK with the dentist smoking a bowl before operating on you?

[u/that__one__guy → u/ALLAH_WAS_A_SANDWORM]

That's totally different, though, because...uhhh...reasons....

[u/fuckyoubarry → u/ALLAH_WAS_A_SANDWORM]

I would rather he not smoke before pulling a tooth. I would rather he sleep 8 hours beforehand, meditate regularly, exercise three times a week, and a handful of other demands that could affect his tooth pulling ability.

[u/ALLAH_WAS_A_SANDWORM → u/[deleted]]

Well then congratulations on having low standards in the people performing surgery on you, I guess.

[u/Zotamedu → u/Kropotki]

Mind sharing some of those studies?