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Legal marijuana makes dopey riders

Only dopes ride high! marijuana Diesel spill transport department NSW roads traffic motorcycles spills friday 13th unlicensed

In the wake of several USA states legalising or decriminalising marijuana, the American Motorcycle Safety Foundation has introduced a marijuana awareness kit to show the effects of the drug.

The MSF says marijuana “tends to distort perception of time, space, and speed” making it dangerous for riders, as well as illegal.

“This is especially true for motorcycle riders, who must continually make detailed assessments of complex traffic situations and make split-second decisions requiring precise rider input to navigate safely and maintain an adequate safety margin,” the organisation says.

They previously produced an alcohol awareness kit which includes “beer goggles” that replicate the effects of being drunk.

Only dopes ride high! marijuana
Beer goggles

The new kit includes “grass goggles”, but the MSF admits they cannot truly replicate the effects of a marijuana “high”.

“But the unique way in which it distorts perceptions causes some impairments,” they say.

“The participant then needs to attempt to compensate for these impairments to complete the kit’s activities. Because the impairments are in the same general areas of cognition and motor skills affected by marijuana, the participant can get a sense of the challenges a ‘high’ driver or motorcyclist would face when dealing with traffic situations.”

Only dopes ride high! marijuana
Off the road and on the grass!

The kit is available at MSF’s online store (msf-usa.org) for $595.

Currently 23 US states and the District of Columbia allow marijuana for medical use: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Eight states (Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington) plus DC allow it for recreational use by adults 21 and over.

In other states use and possession charges have been reduced to a misdemeanour or civil infraction.

The MSF points out that it is still not legal, safe, or wise to operate a motorbike while high.

  1. Medical marijuana and the stuff dope heads use are supposed to be two different things.
    The way any drug affects a person with the illness it is proscribed for and a person taking it for recreational use are also very different. So if marijuana becomes legal in Australia I hope the powers that be realise that and base driving restrictions on level of impairment and not simply presents of thc in the blood.

    1. Al, you’re partially right.

      Young medical users are looking for pure cbd oil in the cannabis (lets use its proper name). The stuff given to kids is refined so no ‘high’ is achieved in the traditional sense. Rather a strong sedative pain killing sensation.

      However most medical users consume regular unrefined cannabis to great effect in pain relief and other ailments. The very same stuff some recreational users want. Some recreational users want more ThC fiving a cerebral high and less sedative.

      Genetics are bred for different attributes as the mixture of ThC and cbd in different strains offer different benefits.

      It has been a plant used for medicine and recreation for thousands of years after all.

      However I strongly agree impairment while driving is dangerous and shouldn’t be allowed.

  2. $595 ? you could buy the real thing, two bottles of bourbon
    and maybe even a couple of lines for that and have a party

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