Sex, drugs, and driving: the effects of marijuana

In the United States, one in six teenagers has driven under the influence of marijuana. Despite the fact that marijuana use is less common than alcohol use, driving under their influence is equally prevalent. Previous research has shown that the effects of marijuana on driving performance are more subtle than those of alcohol. Despite the knowledge that many drugs affect men and women differently, fewer than 25% of studies exploring the effects of marijuana use on driving performance have included women. Findings from both animal and human studies suggest marijuana may have more deleterious effects on women than men. This study examined gender differences in the acute effects of marijuana on cognition and driving performance. While no gender differences were found, marijuana did impair tasks of selective and divided attention, time estimation, and executive function. Participants under the influence of marijuana performed comparably to those who received a placebo cigarette on the driving assessment. Abstract Approved: ____________________________________ Thesis Supervisor ____________________________________ Title and Department ____________________________________ DateApproved: ____________________________________ Thesis Supervisor ____________________________________ Title and Department ____________________________________ Date SEX, DRUGS, AND DRIVING: THE EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA by Beth Marie Anderson Turner A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Neuroscience in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa