Medical Marijuana and Open Road Driving Task

An Open Road Driving Performance Task to Examine Long-term Medical Marijuana Use and Prescription Opioid Positivity in Adults 50 and Older

Medical marijuana use among adults 50 and older has more than doubled in the past decade with exponential increases projected in this demographic by 2050, and prescription opioids are one of the most common treatments for pain management in this population. To date, no studies systematically assess driving performance in a rigorous and ecologically valid manner accounting for long-term medical marijuana use and/or the combined effect of prescription opioid use in adults 50 and older who endorse chronic or severe non-malignant pain. Further, studies examining how older adults self-regulate prescription medication use and driving behavior is limited, with none rigorously examining medical marijuana.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 50 and older who endorse chronic or severe non-malignant pain
• Resident of Florida with an active and valid Florida Drivers License
• Can communicate in English
• Willing and able to complete study procedures
• Have active medical marijuana card for >12 months issued by the state of Florida (MMG group) OR are race-sex match who has not used marijuana in the past 10 years with no history of daily use (NMG group)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Have active psychosis
• Have lost or revoked driving privileges
• Score of below the cut 24 (out of 30) on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
• Are a control participant who urine test positive for marijuana use and/or reports any marijuana use in past 10 years