Effects of synthetic cannabinoids on psychomotor, sensory and cognitive functions relevant for safe driving

Abstract

Recreational use of Synthetic Cannabinoids (SCs), one of the largest groups of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), has increased globally over the past few years. Driving is a structured process requiring the cooperation of several cognitive and psychomotor functions, organized in different levels of complexity. Each of these functions can be affected when Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of SCs. In order to reduce the likelihood of SC-related road accidents, it is essential to understand which areas of psychomotor performance are most affected by these substances, as well as the severity of impairment. For this purpose, a multiple database- literature review of recent experimental studies in humans and animals regarding the psychomotor effects of SCs has been performed. Despite the many limitations connected to experimental studies on humans, results showed a consistency between animal and human data. SCs appear to impair psychomotor performance in humans, affecting different domains related to safe driving even at low doses. Cases of DUI of SC have been repeatedly reported, although the exact prevalence is likely to be underestimated due to current analytical and interpretative issues. For this reason, an accurate physical examination performed by trained and experienced personnel has a primary role in recognizing signs of impairment in case of strong suspicion of SC consumption. The identification of a suspected case should be followed by reliable laboratory examination.

Psychomotor performances relevant for driving under the combined effect of ethanol and synthetic cannabinoids: A systematic review

“…The relatively high concentration detected (11 ng/g) is likely due to the low latency between consumption and sampling (only 37 min). Since latency is not reported in many other cases in the literature, although JWH-018 has been repeatedly detected in DUID cases, it is hard to compare this case to others (9). The severity of the clinical picture, however, was most likely connected to the SC, given the absence of confirmed BAC.…”

“…These results appear interesting, especially considering that BAC concentrations were not affected by treatment with SCs, so the impairment detected is likely not a result of a change in ethanol distribution. As in all kinds of animal studies and repeatedly mention by our group, caution must be paid not to directly suppose that the results on mice might be translated easily to humans (9,36).…”

“…Since THC and SCs both act on the cannabinoid receptor 1 and 2 (CB1 and CB2) located in the central nervous system (CNS), consumption of SCs can lead to performance deficits similar to or worse than those observed with cannabis use (8). As recently shown by a comparative analysis of animal and human data (9), psychomotor effects associated with the use of SCs have alarming implications for driving, including effects on attention, memory, response time, motor abilities, and interpretation of visual and auditory stimuli, as well as on behavior. However, scientific evidence on the topic is still limited, and data about DUID prevalence, traffic injuries, and fatal car accidents involving SCs is lacking.…”