HIGHLIGHTS
- •A side effect of cannabidiol is drowsiness, which could impact driving.
- •This pilot trial investigated oral cannabidiol's impact on simulated driving.
- •Slight detriments to performance were noted.
- •The study was statistically underpowered.
- •Additional research is needed to determine whether cannabidiol impacts driving.
Introduction
Methods
Results
Conclusions
Keywords
INTRODUCTION
FDA and cannabis: research and drug approval process. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-and-cannabis-research-and-drug-approval-process. Updated October 1, 2020. Accessed October 20, 2022.
FDA approves new indication for drug containing an active ingredient derived from cannabis to treat seizures in rare genetic disease. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-indication-drug-containing-active-ingredient-derived-cannabis-treat-seizures-rare#:∼:text=Today%2C%20the%20U.S.%20Food%20and,year%20of%20age%20and%20older. Updated July 31, 2020. Accessed 20 October 2022.
United States Congress. Agriculture improvement act of 2018. Public Law 115–334. Washington DC: United States Congress. https://www.congress.gov/115/plaws/publ334/PLAW-115publ334.pdf. Published December 20, 2018. Accessed October 19, 2022.
Devinsky O, Cilio MR, Cross H, et al. Cannabidiol: pharmacology and potential therapeutic role in epilepsy and other neuropsychiatric disorders. Epilepsia (Series 4). 2014;55(6):791–802. https://doi.org/10.1111/epi.12631.
Owens JM, Dingus TA, Guo F, et al. Prevalence of drowsy driving crashes: estimates from a large-scale naturalistic driving study (research brief). Washington, DC: American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety. https://aaafoundation.org/prevalence-drowsy-driving-crashes-estimates-large-scale-naturalistic-driving-study/. Published February 2018. Accessed August 23, 2021.
METHODS
Study Design and Participants
Sample Size
Recruitment, Screening, and Enrollment
Study Procedure Overview

Randomization, Treatment Allocation, and Blinding
- Yagil D.
Intervention
Owens JM, Dingus TA, Guo F, et al. Prevalence of drowsy driving crashes: estimates from a large-scale naturalistic driving study (research brief). Washington, DC: American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety. https://aaafoundation.org/prevalence-drowsy-driving-crashes-estimates-large-scale-naturalistic-driving-study/. Published February 2018. Accessed August 23, 2021.
Statistical Analyses
- Harrell FE.
RESULTS
Characteristics | Overall (N=40) | CBD (n=21) | Placebo (n=19) | p-Value |
---|---|---|---|---|
Age in years, mean (SD) | 21.2 (2.7) | 21.4 (2.8) | 21.0 (2.7) | 0.57 |
Male, n (%) | 19 (47.5) | 10 (47.6) | 9 (47.4) | 0.99 |
White, n (%) | 34 (85.0) | 18 (85.7) | 16 (84.2) | 1.00 |
BMI, mean (SD) | 26.0 (5.2) | 26.3 (6.3) | 25.6 (3.6) | 0.70 |
Undergraduate student, n (%) | 28 (70.0) | 13 (61.9) | 15 (79.0) | 0.24 |
Employed full or part-time, n (%) | 21 (52.5) | 11 (52.4) | 10 (52.6) | 0.99 |
Hours spent playing video games per week | 7.1 (10.2) | 5.6 (5.1) | 8.6 (13.8) | 0.66 |
Miles driven per week, mean (SD) | 49.5 (52.7) | 49.9 (60.5) | 48.9 (43.7) | 0.60 |
Risky driving score, mean (SD) | 8.4 (6.4) | 6.8 (6.5) | 10.2 (5.9) | 0.09 |
Ever used CBD, n (%) | 9 (23.1) | 4 (19.1) | 5 (27.8) | 0.71 |
Outcomes | CBD (n=21) | Placebo (n=19) | p-Value | ES |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | |||
Total collisions | 0.90 (1.09) | 0.68 (0.95) | 0.52 | 0.23 |
Percentage time out of lane | 4.41 (2.44) | 4.34 (2.09) | 0.95 | 0.03 |
SDLP#1 | 4.37 (2.22) | 3.88 (2.49) | 0.90 | 0.20 |
SDLP #2 | 1.07 (0.77) | 0.98 (0.44) | 0.63 | 0.20 |
Percentage time speeding | 5.83 (6.02) | 8.27 (9.58) | 0.27 | 0.25 |
Turn signal performance, | 0.51 (0.13) | 0.54 (0.10) | 0.54 | 0.30 |
Drive time (seconds) | 1,309 (58) | 1,281 (78) | 0.20 | 0.36 |
Mean brake reaction time | 0.60 (0.11) | 0.58 (0.12) | 0.61 | 0.17 |

DISCUSSION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The visual detection of DWI motorists. Washington, DC: United States Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. https://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/808677.pdf. Published March 2010. Accessed Sep\tember 9, 2021.
Limitations
CONCLUSIONS
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Declarations of interest
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Appendix. Supplementary materials
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FDA approves new indication for drug containing an active ingredient derived from cannabis to treat seizures in rare genetic disease. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-indication-drug-containing-active-ingredient-derived-cannabis-treat-seizures-rare#:∼:text=Today%2C%20the%20U.S.%20Food%20and,year%20of%20age%20and%20older. Updated July 31, 2020. Accessed 20 October 2022.
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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The visual detection of DWI motorists. Washington, DC: United States Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. https://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/808677.pdf. Published March 2010. Accessed Sep\tember 9, 2021.
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