HL Deb 18 July 2001 vol 626 cc131-2WA
Lord Monson

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they endorse the Lord Rea's contention (H.L. Deb., 21 February, col. 890) that road users under the influence of cannabis normally compensate for their impaired reaction time by driving more cautiously than they do when not under the influence, and therefore do not materially endanger other road users. [HL290]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

The Government would not support the view that road users under the influence of cannabis do not materially endanger other road users.

Research undertaken by TRL Limited on behalf of my department concluded that the effects of cannabis on driver performance were not as severe as those of alcohol, but that they were unpredictable and as such could be a hazard.

TRL Report 477 The influence of cannabis on driving is available on the DTLR's website at http:// www. roads. dtlr gov. uk/roadsafety/research16/index. htm.