Solutions for Social Impact: Weed and the Wheel

Solutions for Social Impact: Weed and the Wheel

Weed and the Wheel

How recreational drugs affect behavior and motor skills

Thursday, November 3, at 5:30 p.m. in the McCarthy Recital Hall

Presented by Psychology Professor Dr. Ari Kirshenbaum

As more states legalize retail cannabis – including Vermont – many still question the overall public safety aspects of legal pot. Technology for determining whether a person is driving while under the influence of marijuana is still catching up with legalization efforts. In the meantime, experts like Psychology Professor Ari Kirshenbaum have been researching the acute psychological effects of cannabis, including how the drug might impair a person while driving. He will discuss this research and how it can inform the public about the dangers of using weed while driving.

Kirshenbaum received a National Science Foundation grant in 2020 to build a device that can assess cannabis intoxication and impairment. He created a mobile app called “Indicator” that cannabis consumers can use to determine how cannabis impairs their functioning. He has also worked with law enforcement and public safety officials in Vermont to educate them on impaired driving. He is currently involved in training police officers who serve as Drug Recognition Experts to detect marijuana impairment, and he also works with state prosecutors.