Researches uncovered some surprising results in a cross-over study of accident victims in a Swiss hospital ER: Cannabis use is inversely proportional to injury risk. In other words, the more cannabis used, the less chance of accidental injury.
This same study showed a dose-dependent increase in injury risk from alcohol use. For example, alcohol use within six-hours prior to injury was associated with a mean relative risk of 3.00 compared to no alcohol use (1.00), That's an increase of 300% based on comparison of the numbers of similar injuries sustained by non-drinkers.
What researchers did not expect to see was the effect cannabis use had on accidental injuries. When they reviewed accidents treated in the emergency room, and looked at whether the patient used cannabis or not, they found that cannabis users were only one third as likely to be injured in the same circumstances compared to those that had no cannabis in their system. Dosage, in this case, was inversely related to risk of injury, with a mean relative risk factor of only 0.33, (or 1/3) compared with non-cannabis users.
So what does that mean? In plain terms, if you are hammering a nail your are three times more likely to hit your thumb if you take a drink within six hours of beginning your carpentry, whereas, if you light up a joint prior to your building project, you have two-thirds less chance of smashing your digit, than your completely sober buddy.
The study, published online in the January 29, 2009 edition of BMC Public Health, looked at 486 subjects (332 men and 154 women) who had received emergency room treatment for different kinds of injurious from various causes.
Researchers could supply no reasons for the results, but speculated that people might be a little more careful when they are stoned.
UPDATE: Two prior studies showed the same result. One was in Missouri which stated: "Marijuana use may be associated with a decreased risk of injury. Other illicit drug use was associated with increased risk." An even earlier one done in Buffalo, NY, came to the same conclusion when it comes to injury: alcohol and cocaine, bad, cannabis good.
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in a more fluid, pleasing way....
in other words, your are not so damn impatient to get that nail hammered in, for example....you get into the hammering, you
become the hammering....and the hammering is a beautiful act,
the only act that ever was....
so you do it very very well
will be done skillfully...
even if it's just forgetting the goddamn material universe for awhile and introspecting...there's enough hammering and pounding and building going on out there anyway,
and not enough introspecting....
What did you say.... I need to change the music...
My theory includes the above and also supposes that there are likely many less nails pounded in a similar time frame by the stoned person. So, stoned is safer as long as you have all day.
But the only way I will take ever screen from every window of my house and clean them is if I am because I simply cannot do that dumb job any other way.
O Right, this other study, from like, 4 years ago, that.. wait a second, let me re-read this.
OK, right! Wait a second...
(here, kitty!)
What? Yeah yeah yeah, the other study said something like that, too.
What's for dinner?
OK, to my way of thinking, I have to say James, has it right. Fluid and pleasing, and totally in the now (to paraphrase).
Mistercomedy, what you say has merit. However, though you might not start your hammering on weed, the study actually compared injury to injury. So, let's say, for example, 100 people build cabinets, 26 people smash their thumbs. Two of those 26 partook of the herb, 6 did their carpentry stone cold sober, and 18 will never play piano again because they hammered while hammered (on booze). It still demonstrates the discrepancy of effect.
Emma, you may forget the hammer, but . . . you won't mind.
Mission, luckily, should your imagination take hold, and you actually do do something while stoned, your chances of hurting yourself are greatly lessened.
Oh Ablond, the screen saving properties of cannabis is legendary.
Greg, that's some great stuff you're on.
Still, even if all it's measuring is avoiding risky behavior, that's something.
You know, it's interesting to note, Allie, that this was actually the third study that I'm aware of, that showed this same result. One was in Missouri which stated: "Marijuana use may be associated with a decreased risk of injury. Other illicit drug use was associated with increased risk." And even earlier study was done in Buffalo, came to the same conclusion when it comes to injury: alcohol and cocaine, bad, cannabis good.
Yes Tom, I know that is the perception, but (having acted as general contractor on two residential builds) I think I would ask you if your digitally challenged friends might not have been tippling on the side, too?
Are drunks worse than dopers? Yes. Are both dangerous to work around? Yes. Can you tell when someone is drunk? Usually. Can you tell when someone is stoned? Usually harder -- until they lop off a few fingers.
The idea you seem to be supporting and that this study apparently supports is a VERY dangerous idea. These kinds of workplaces are far too dangerous as it is without having the added danger of working with people not in their right mind.
There was recently a very flawed study that attempted to link cannabis with testicular cancer. The media was all over that. 750 articles, regurgitating (inaccurately) what the study said! This risk study, which replicates two other studies showing that cannabis does not elevate risk for injury, has been virtually ignored.
Even you, Tom, after looking at the report of all THREE studies, you characterize them as "supporting a very dangerous idea." Why? If they are scientifically replicable, and keep on showing the same thing, how is this a dangerous idea? How is truth dangerous?
The anti-cannabis lobby doesn't need any help from me. They have been shoving half-truths and downright lies down our necks for decades, and I, for one, am sick of it.
Luckily, mainstream media is no longer the only place where we can get our information. Naturally, we have to vet what we read – and I do that. I went to the originals of all three studies and read them. Thank the Goddess for the internet.
That said, your creds are impressive. I am sure you have many interesting tales to tell. Thank you for weighing in.
Working out the details is difficult because of our lame-brained federal policy on this issue. I sincerely hope science will triumph over politics in the Obama administration. That said, it looks like the states will have to take the lead on this for the time being.
In my view, it is impossible to make the world a safe place. It is not safe now, nor will it ever be. And really, that's OK. All we can do is to live our own lives with as much integrity as possible, and hope that our example inspires others.
And, if some of those others actually screw up on the job, then fire them for that – not for the behavior they exhibit on their personal time.