Will the Driver Causing Your Accident Be Stoned on Soda?
Although you can’t legally recreationally smoke cannabis in Kentucky, you can legally drink one of its active ingredients, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Kentucky will be banning some cannabis-infused drinks and regulating others under a recently passed law. These THC drinks can impair drivers to the point where they’re dangerous to drive and cause accidents.
A bill to regulate these drinks in Kentucky was signed into law in March, reports WDRB. The state’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control will regulate product labels, define its oversight responsibilities, and limit intoxicating ingredients in these drinks. There will also be studies on how these drinks impact public health, with findings expected to be published in 2026.
Under federal law, these drinks are already available. You must be at least 21 years old to purchase them legally.
What are Cannabis-Infused Drinks?
Marijuana is a Cannabis sativa plant, according to the Harvard Medical School. It has more than a hundred chemical compounds known as cannabinoids. They interact with chemicals and receptors in the brain.
The best-known cannabinoid is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It produces intoxication or euphoria. It may also ease pain and nausea. Another one is cannabidiol (CBD). It’s not intoxicating and has many potential medical uses, including relieving anxiety.
Cannabis with low THC levels (less than 0.3%) are classified as hemp. Those with more are considered cannabis. The amount and type of cannabinoids that cannabis-based products claim to have vary widely, and their labels may be inaccurate.
Many cannabis-infused drinks list THC as an ingredient. There’s no standard dose, but five milligrams (mg) is a level typically used in research studies. Some “low-dose” beverages have two to four mg of THC in an eight-ounce container. Other products may have as much as 200 mg of THC. They may also contain alcohol, caffeine, and other substances.
How Do Cannabis-Infused Drinks Differ from Cannabis-Infused Foods (Edibles)?
The cannabinoids in beverages are formulated to dissolve in liquid, making them more easily and rapidly absorbed into the body’s soft tissues. Someone drinking one may feel effects within 15-20 minutes, which may be much faster than someone eating a THC-infused gummy, brownie, or cookie. That may take 30 to 90 minutes because the cannabinoids must be digested and processed through the liver.
How Do the Effects of Cannabis-Infused Drinks Compare With Those Containing Alcohol?
More people drink alcohol than cannabis-infused drinks. Alcohol’s effects are better known to individuals and society as a whole. How a cannabis-infused drink will impact someone depends on many factors, including:
- How the individual responds to THC
- How much THC is in the drink
- Other drink ingredients
- What else the person has eaten or drunk, and whether they’re using over-the-counter, prescription, or illegal drugs at the time
Drinking one or two more of these drinks can quickly double or triple your THC dose. Your experience could go from mild to severe. You may not feel high, or that feeling may be overwhelmed by anxiety, nausea, increased blood pressure, agitation, or paranoia.
How Does Age Affect the Experience?
Unpleasant side effects may be more common in older adults because drug metabolism slows with age. Cannabis-related visits to hospital emergency departments increased in older adults after California legalized recreational cannabis use. The same thing happened in Canada, according to a recent study in JAMA Internal Medicine.
There are many more unknowns with cannabis-infused drinks than those containing alcohol, so whether one’s more healthy than the other, no one can say for sure.
Can Cannabis-Infused Drinks Impair Driving Abilities?
Cannabis impacts parts of the brain, controlling your movements, coordination, balance, memory, and judgment, according to the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It also impairs skills needed to safely drive by:
- Slowing your ability to make decisions and reaction time
- Impairing coordination
- Distorting perception
There’s an association between cannabis use and car accidents, but it may be difficult to connect the presence of cannabis or THC in a person to impaired driving. Studies have shown using multiple substances (such as cannabis and alcohol) simultaneously can increase impairment.
Speak To A Satterley & Kelley, PLLC Vehicle Accident Injury Lawyer Today
If you’re injured in an accident caused by a driver impaired by THC, Satterley & Kelley PLLC attorneys can protect your rights to compensation for your injuries and losses. To reach our office in Louisville, call 502-589-5600 or toll-free at 855-385-9532. You may also complete our contact form for a free initial consultation.