Driving under the influence of cannabis risk perceptions and behaviour: A population-based study in Ontario, Canada.

Driving under the influence of cannabis (DUIC) is detrimental to road safety. Risk perception is a strong determinant of DUIC behaviour, yet little is known about the factors influencing DUIC risk perception in the general population. The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with risk perceptions of motor vehicle collision and legal consequences due to DUIC and examine whether these perceptions were associated with DUIC behaviour. Data were derived from the 2017 CAMH Monitor, a cross-sectional telephone survey of adults aged 18+ years in Ontario, Canada (n = 1813). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Approximately 90% of adults overall agreed that DUIC increases motor vehicle collision risk compared to 55% of those reporting past-year DUIC. Being male, less educated, and using cannabis at least monthly were associated with disagreeing that DUIC increases motor vehicle collision risk. Being male, young, and using cannabis at least monthly were associated with agreeing that DUIC is safer than driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA). Being male and using cannabis less than monthly were associated with agreeing that the chances of getting caught for DUIC are higher than DUIA. Safety but not legal risk perceptions were associated with DUIC behaviour among cannabis-using drivers. Cannabis legalization provides a timely opportunity for DUIC prevention strategies. This study suggests that policymakers should target male cannabis users and highlight the safety risks of DUIC. Further research is needed to assess the effectiveness of prevention measures and the impact of cannabis legalization on DUIC perceptions and behaviour.

Work-related and non-work-related mild traumatic brain injury: Associations with mental health and substance use challenges in a Canadian population-level survey.

BACKGROUND: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) can profoundly impact overall health, employment, and family life. Incidence of mTBI in the workplace represents an important subgroup with poorer outcomes. Mental health (MH) and substance use (SU) challenges are a primary correlate of TBI, but are rarely assessed among individuals with a work-related (wr)-mTBI, particularly at a population-level. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the association between lifetime wr-mTBI and non-wr-mTBI and the experience of MH and SU challenges. METHODS: The 2019 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Monitor is a cross-sectional telephone survey of adults aged≥18 years in Ontario, Canada, employing a stratified (six regions) two-stage (telephone number, respondent) list-assisted random digit dialing probability selection procedure (N = 1792). Adjusting for sociodemographic variables, binary logistic regression was conducted to assess the association between lifetime wr-mTBI and non-wr-mTBI (relative to no TBI) and four outcomes: hazardous use of alcohol and of cannabis, psychological distress, and fair/poor mental health. RESULTS: Adjusting for sociodemographic variables, non-wr-mTBI demonstrated increased odds of hazardous alcohol (AOR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.41, 3.19) and cannabis use (AOR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.05, 2.45), psychological distress (AOR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.14, 2.49), and fair/poor mental health (AOR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.11, 2.59). Lifetime wr-mTBI demonstrated increased odds of reporting psychological distress (AOR = 3.40, 95% CI = 1.93, 5.97) and fair/poor mental health (AOR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.12, 4.19) only. CONCLUSIONS: Non-wr-mTBI was associated with both MH and SU, whereas wr-mTBI was associated with MH only. MH outcomes were more strongly associated with wr-mTBI than non-wr-mTBI. Physicians, employers, and insurers need to consider the potential association between wr-mTBI and MH, and provide care accordingly.

Victims of road rage: a qualitative study of the experiences of motorists and vulnerable road users.

OBJECTIVE: To gain an in-depth understanding of road rage incidents from the victims' perspectives. METHODS: The data consisted of 30- to 60-min in-depth semistructured phone interviews with 29 self-identified victims of road rage. Twenty of the participants were in a motor vehicle, whereas 9 were pedestrians/cyclists. A qualitative Grounded Theory approach was used to inductively code and analyze the transcripts. RESULTS: Victims reported a correlation between their vulnerability and the perceived intensity/severity of the road rage incidents. The most vulnerable victims (pedestrians and cyclists) were the least likely to view road rage incidents as a random event and the most likely to feel that they were specifically targeted. Road rage incidents tended to evolve more rapidly when there was a greater real or perceived power imbalance between the victims and perpetrators. The most vulnerable victims were the most likely to have long-term physical and mental health consequences from the incident, and to significantly modify their behavior after the incident. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis suggests that issues of victim vulnerability play a major role in determining the intensity, severity, and psychological consequences of road rage incidents. This seems particularly true for the most vulnerable of road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists.

The Utility of THC Cutoff Levels in Blood and Saliva for Detection of Impaired Driving.

Background: Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the psychoactive component in cannabis and a relationship of THC to driving impairment is expected. Despite this, there are discrepant findings with respect to the relationship of blood THC to driving. This study investigated the relationship of blood, urine, and saliva THC/THC-COOH levels to "weaving," as measured by a driving simulator. Methods: Participants smoked cannabis alone or with alcohol. THC/THC-COOH levels in blood, urine, and saliva were correlated with standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP), measuring "weaving." In addition, SDLP after cannabis and/or alcohol were compared with SDLP after placebo when THC/THC-COOH levels were above or below specified thresholds in blood (5 ng/mL), urine (50 ng/mL), or saliva (25 ng/mL). Results: A clear linear relationship between blood THC concentration and SDLP was not observed based on calculation of Spearman coefficients. When compared with placebo, SDLP was significantly increased after cannabis and cannabis combined with alcohol when THC in the blood was above the legal limit. SDLP was increased in drug conditions when saliva cutoffs were above the legal limit. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that specified thresholds for THC in blood and saliva may be able to detect driving impairment, but future studies are needed. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03106363.

The mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic among individuals with depressive, anxiety, and stressor-related disorders: A scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: A scoping review of studies published in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic focused on individuals with pre-existing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and specified stressor-related disorders, with the objective of mapping the research conducted. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: (1) direct study of individuals with pre-existing depressive, anxiety, and/or specified stressor-related (i.e., posttraumatic stress, acute stress) disorders/issues; (2) focus on mental health-related pandemic effects, and; (3) direct study of mental health symptoms related to depression, anxiety, or psychological distress. SOURCES OF EVIDENCE: Database-specific subject headings and natural language keywords were searched in Medline, Embase, APA PsycInfo, and Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) up to March 3, 2021. Review of potentially relevant studies was conducted by two independent reviewers and proceeded in two stages: (1) title and abstract review, and; (2) full paper review. DATA CHARTING: Study details (i.e., location, design and methodology, sample or population, outcome measures, and key findings) were extracted from included studies by one reviewer and confirmed by the Principal Investigator. RESULTS: 66 relevant articles from 26 countries were identified. Most studies adopted a cross-sectional design and were conducted via online survey. About half relied on general population samples, with the remainder assessing special populations, primarily mental health patients. The most commonly reported pre-existing category of disorders or symptoms was depression, followed closely by anxiety. Most studies included depressive and anxiety symptoms as outcome measures and demonstrated increased vulnerability to mental health symptoms among individuals with a pre-existing mental health issue. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that improved mental health supports are needed during the pandemic and point to future research needs, including reviews of other diagnostic categories and reviews of research published in subsequent years of the pandemic.

Effects of combining alcohol and cannabis on driving, breath alcohol level, blood THC, cognition, and subjective effects: A narrative review.

Alcohol and cannabis are the two most commonly found intoxicating substances in fatally injured drivers. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that the use of alcohol or cannabis can lead to an increase in the risk of a motor vehicle collision. Reducing the risks associated with driving under the influence of alcohol or cannabis is achieved partly through roadside detection of breath alcohol concentrations (BrAC) or blood delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels. The purpose of the present review is to compile the laboratory studies on the combined effects of alcohol and cannabis on simulated driving as well as those evaluating combinations of these drugs on BrAC or blood THC. Given that driving can be affected by a number of cognitive processes, the literature on the cognitive effects of combinations of alcohol and cannabis is also reviewed, along with a discussion of a potential additive effect on the subjective qualities of these drugs. In sum, it is concluded that alcohol and cannabis have additive effects on driving skills, cognition and subjective effects. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Separate and combined effects of alcohol and cannabis on mood, subjective experience, cognition and psychomotor performance: A randomized trial.

Co-use of alcohol and cannabis is associated with increased frequency and intensity of use and related problems. This study examined acute effects of alcohol and cannabis on mood, subjective experience, cognition, and psychomotor performance. Twenty-eight healthy cannabis users aged 19-29 years with recent history of binge drinking completed this within-subjects, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Participants received: placebo alcohol and placebo cannabis (<0.1% THC); alcohol (target breath alcohol content [BrAC] 80 mg/dL) and placebo cannabis; placebo alcohol and active cannabis (12.5% THC); and active alcohol and cannabis over four sessions. Profile of Mood States (POMS), Addiction Research Centre Inventory (ARCI), verbal free recall (VFR), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Continuous Performance Test (CPT), and grooved pegboard (GPB) task were administered before and approximately 75 min after drinking alcohol (1 h after smoking cannabis ad libitum). Significant effects of condition were found for the POMS (Tension-Anxiety, Confusion) and ARCI (MBG, LSD, PCAG, Euphoria, Sedation), predominantly with greater increases emerging after cannabis or alcohol-cannabis combined relative to placebo. Significant effects were found for VFR (immediate total and delayed recall, percent retained), DSST (trials attempted, trials correct, reaction time), and GPB (non-dominant hand) predominantly with greater declines in performance after alcohol and alcohol-cannabis combined relative to placebo and/or cannabis. Cannabis appeared to affect mood and subjective experience, with minimal impact on cognitive performance. Alcohol appeared to impair cognitive and psychomotor performance, with minimal impact on mood and subjective experience. Acute effects of alcohol and cannabis combined were additive at most.

Influence of personality on acute smoked cannabis effects on simulated driving.

A recent study of the impact of smoked cannabis on simulated driver behavior demonstrated a reduction in mean speed after smoked cannabis. Previous research identified an association between personality and individual differences and acute drug effects. The present study examined the impact of personality on the reduction in mean speed after smoking cannabis under single- and dual-task driving conditions originally reported by Brands et al. (2019). Sixty-one participants randomly assigned to the active drug condition completed a battery of self-report questionnaires measuring various personality constructs and subsequently operated a driving simulator before and 30 min after smoking a 12.5% Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cigarette. Linear regression modeling tested the influence of self-reported driving errors, lapses, and violations, driver vengeance, psychological distress, impulsivity, and sensation seeking on the reduction in speed after smoking cannabis. After adjusting for the influence of sex, blood THC concentration, and predrug mean speed, impulsivity was a significant predictor of change in speed under both single- (ß = -.45, t = -3.94, p < .001) and dual- (ß = -.35, t = -2.74, p = .008) task driving conditions after cannabis. Higher trait impulsivity was significantly associated with greater reductions in driving speed after cannabis use, which may reflect greater sensitivity to drug effects and a stronger compensatory response. Further multidisciplinary study, including neurochemical, genetic, and psychological components, would be beneficial in helping to better understand how impulsivity and other personality or individual differences may impact the effects of cannabis on driver behavior and performance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Combined effect of alcohol and cannabis on simulated driving.

RATIONALE: With alcohol and cannabis remaining the most commonly detected drugs in seriously and fatally injured drivers, there is a need to understand their combined effects on driving. OBJECTIVES: The present study examined the effects of combinations of smoked cannabis (12.5% THC) and alcohol (target BrAC 0.08%) on simulated driving performance, subjective drug effects, cardiovascular measures, and self-reported perception of driving ability. METHODS: In this within-subjects, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial, cannabis users (1-7 days/week) aged 19-29 years attended four drug administration sessions in which simulated driving, subjective effects, cardiovascular measures, and whole blood THC and metabolite concentrations were assessed following placebo alcohol and placebo cannabis (<0.1% THC), alcohol and placebo cannabis, placebo alcohol and active cannabis, and alcohol and active cannabis. RESULTS: Standard deviation of lateral position in the combined condition was significantly different from the placebo condition (p < 0.001). Standard deviation of lateral position was also significantly different from alcohol and cannabis alone conditions in the single task overall drive (p = 0.029 and p = 0.032, respectively), from the alcohol alone condition in the dual task overall drive (p = 0.022) and the cannabis alone condition in the dual task straightaway drive (p = 0.002). Compared to the placebo condition, the combined and alcohol conditions significantly increased reaction time. Subjective effects in the combined condition were significantly greater than with either of the drugs alone at some time points, particularly later in the session. A driving ability questionnaire showed that participants seemed unaware of their level of impairment. CONCLUSION: Combinations of alcohol and cannabis increased weaving and reaction time, and tended to produce greater subjective effects compared to placebo and the single drug conditions suggesting a potential additive effect. The fact that participants were unaware of this increased effect has important implications for driving safety.

Sex differences in the acute pharmacological and subjective effects of smoked cannabis combined with alcohol in young adults.

Objective: The prevalence of co-use of alcohol and cannabis is increasing, particularly among young adults. Sex differences in the effects of alcohol alone and cannabis alone have been observed in animals and humans. However, sex differences in the acute pharmacological effects of cannabis combined with alcohol have not yet been studied. In young adults, aged 19-29 years, we aimed to examine sex differences following an intoxicating dose of alcohol (target 0.08% breath alcohol content) combined with a moderate dose of cannabis (12.5% Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol; THC) using an ad libitum smoking procedure. Method: Using a within-subjects design, 28 regular cannabis users (16 males; 12 females) received in random order: (a) placebo alcohol and placebo cannabis, (b) active alcohol and placebo cannabis, (c) placebo alcohol and active cannabis, and (d) active alcohol and active cannabis. Blood samples for THC were collected and measures of vital signs, subjective drug effects, and cognition were collected. Results: In the alcohol-cannabis combined condition, females smoked significantly less of the cannabis cigarette compared to males (p < .001), although both sexes smoked similar amounts in the other conditions. There was minimal evidence that females and males differed in THC blood concentrations, vitals, subjective effects, or cognitive measures. Conclusions: In the alcohol-cannabis combined condition, females experienced the same acute pharmacological and subjective effects of alcohol and cannabis as males, after smoking less cannabis, which has potential implications for informing education and policy. Further research is warranted on sex differences in cannabis pharmacology, as well as the combined effects of alcohol and cannabis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Anxiety and mood disorders and cannabis use.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis use has been linked to anxiety and mood disorders (AMD) in clinical cases, but little research on this relationship has been reported at the epidemiological level. OBJECTIVES: We examined the relationship between self-reported frequency of cannabis use and risk for AMD in the general Ontario adult population. METHODS: Data were based on the CAMH Monitor survey of Ontario adults from 2001 to 2006 (n = 14,531). AMD was assessed with the 12-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12). Frequency of cannabis use within the past year was grouped into five categories: No use (abstainer), less than once a month but at least once a year, less than once a week but at least once a month, less than daily but at least once a week, almost every day to more than once a day. Logistic regression analysis of AMD and cannabis use was implemented while controlling for demographics and alcohol problems. RESULTS: AMD was most common among heavy cannabis users (used almost every day or more) (18.1%) and lowest for abstainers (8.7%). Compared to abstainers, the risk of AMD was significantly greater for infrequent cannabis users (OR = 1.43) and heavy cannabis users (OR = 2.04) but not for those in between. CONCLUSION: These data provide epidemiological evidence for a link between both light and heavy cannabis use and AMD. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Recognizing the comorbidity of heavy cannabis use and AMD should facilitate improved treatment efforts. Our results also suggest the possibility that, for some individuals, AMD may occur at relatively low levels of cannabis use.

Drinking patterns, alcohol-related harm and views on policies: results from a pilot of the International Alcohol Control Study in Canada. / Habitudes de consommation, méfaits liés à l'alcool et points de vue sur les politiques : résultats d'un projet pilote de l'étude internationale sur le contrôle de l'alcool (IAC) au Canada.

INTRODUCTION: We conducted a pilot assessment of the feasibility of implementing the International Alcohol Control (IAC) Study in Ontario, Canada, to allow for future comparisons on the impacts of alcohol control policies with a number of countries. METHODS: The IAC Study questionnaire was adapted for use in the province of Ontario, and a split-sample approach was used to collect data. Data were collected by computer-assisted telephone interviewing of 500 participants, with half the sample each answering a subset of the adapted IAC Study survey. RESULTS: Just over half of the sample (53.6%) reported high frequency drinking (once a week or more frequently), while 6.5% reported heavy typical occasion drinking (8 drinks or more per session). Self-reported rates of alcohol-related harms from one's own and others' drinking were relatively low. Attitudes towards alcohol control varied. A substantial majority supported more police spot checks to detect drinking and driving, while restrictions on the number of alcohol outlets and increases in the price of alcohol were generally opposed. CONCLUSION: This pilot study demonstrated that the IAC Study survey can be implemented in Canada with some modifications. Future research should assess how to improve participation rates and the feasibility of implementing the longitudinal aspect of the IAC Study. This survey provides additional insight into alcohol-related behaviours and attitudes towards alcohol control policies, which can be used to develop appropriate public health responses in the Canadian context.

Acute and residual mood and cognitive performance of young adults following smoked cannabis.

OBJECTIVES: To examine acute and residual mood and cognitive performance in young adult regular cannabis users following smoked cannabis. METHODS: Ninety-one healthy young adults completed this double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-groups study. Participants were randomized to receive active (12.5% THC) or placebo cannabis with a 2:1 allocation ratio, and mood [Profile of Mood States (POMS)] and cognitive performance [Hopkins Verbal Learning Test - Revised (HVLT-R), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Continuous Performance Test (CPT), grooved pegboard (GPB)] were assessed before and 1, 24, and 48 (h) after smoking cannabis ad libitum. High and Low THC groups were based on blood THC concentrations. RESULTS: One hour after smoking cannabis, compared to Placebo, in both the High and Low THC groups, there were increases in POMS Arousal and Positive Mood, and in the High THC group only, increases in Confusion, Friendliness, and Elation, and a decrease in Fatigue. Increases in Friendliness and Elation in the High THC group remained significant for 24 h. The only significant acute effect of cannabis on cognition was a decrease in the percent of words retained in the HVLT-R in the High THC group compared to Placebo (mean difference = 15.8%, 95% CI = 3.6-28.0%, p = 0.006). Unexpectedly, compared to Placebo, both the High and Low THC groups improved in DSST performance at 48 h (p ≤ 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Under the present experimental conditions, in young regular cannabis users, smoking cannabis ad libitum had significant effects on mood, some of which persisted 24 h later, yet minimal effects on cognition, and no evidence of residual cognitive impairment.

Conduct disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as risk factors for prescription opioid use.

BACKGROUND: Existing studies of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder (CD), and substance use or substance use disorders have produced mixed results, with some identifying a direct link between ADHD and general or disordered substance use and others suggesting that comorbid CD may explain this relationship. Insufficient research has addressed the issue, which is particularly relevant in the context of the opioid crisis. This study examined the association of probable ADHD and childhood CD with self-reported opioid use in a general-population sample. METHOD: The 2011-2013 cycles of the CAMH Monitor, a cross-sectional survey of adults (18+ years) from Ontario, Canada provided data from 6074 respondents. Binary logistic regressions were conducted of self-reported medical, non-medical, and any prescription opioid use in the previous 12 months, assessing demographic characteristics, perceived physical and mental health, and probable ADHD, childhood (before age 15 years) symptoms of CD, or their combination. RESULTS: Adjusting for potential covariates, probable ADHD alone was not associated with prescription opioid use. Childhood symptoms of CD significantly predicted non-medical use (OR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.10, 4.03). ADHD and CD symptoms combined significantly predicted medical (OR = 3.27, 95% CI = 1.20, 8.91), non-medical (OR = 4.73, 95% CI = 1.05, 21.30), and any (OR = 3.02, 95% CI = 1.13, 8.11) prescription opioid use, although a low base rate of non-medical use may have negatively affected model fit. CONCLUSIONS: Previous findings relating ADHD to opioid use could be explained, in part, by the high rate of comorbidity between ADHD and CD. These data support prevention and treatment programs targeting individuals with comorbid ADHD and CD symptoms.

Acute and residual effects of smoked cannabis: Impact on driving speed and lateral control, heart rate, and self-reported drug effects.

BACKGROUND: Although driving under the influence of cannabis is increasingly common among young adults, little is known about residual effects on driver behavior. This study examined acute and residual effects of smoked cannabis on simulated driving performance of young cannabis users. METHODS: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group randomized clinical trial, cannabis users (1-4 days/week) aged 19-25 years were randomized with a 2:1 allocation ratio to receive active (12.5% THC) or placebo (0.009% THC) cannabis in a single 750 mg cigarette. A median split (based on whole-blood THC concentrations at the time of driving) was used to divide the active group into low and high THC groups. Our primary outcome was simulated driving performance, assessed 30 min and 24 and 48 h after smoking. Secondary outcomes included blood THC concentrations, subjective drug effects, and heart rate. RESULTS: Ninety-six participants were randomized, and 91 were included in the final analysis (30 high THC, 31 low THC, 30 placebo). Mean speed (but not lateral control) significantly differed between groups 30 min after smoking cannabis (p ≤ 0.02); low and high THC groups decreased their speed compared to placebo. Heart rate, VAS drug effect and drug high increased significantly immediately after smoking cannabis and declined steadily after that. There was little evidence of residual effects in any of the measures. CONCLUSION: Acutely, cannabis caused decreased speed, increased heart rate, and increases in VAS drug effect and drug high. There was no evidence of residual effects on these measures over the two days following cannabis administration.

Driving under the influence of prescription opioids: Self-reported prevalence and association with collision risk in a large Canadian jurisdiction.

BACKGROUND: Motor vehicle collisions are an important contributor to prescription opioid use-related morbidity and mortality. The purpose of the current study was to estimate the prevalence of driving under the influence of prescription opioids (DUIPO) in Ontario, Canada, and to measure the association between this behaviour and the risk of a motor vehicle collision. METHODS: Data were based on telephone interviews with 7857 respondents who reported having driven in the past year. Data were derived from the 2011-2016 cycles of the CAMH Monitor, an ongoing cross-sectional representative survey of adults aged 18 years and older. A binary logistic regression analysis of collision involvement in the previous 12 months was conducted and included demographic characteristics (sex, age, marital status, education, income, region), driving exposure, poor mental health, non-medical use of prescription opioids, and driving after use of alcohol. RESULTS: The prevalence of past-year DUIPO was 3.1%. Controlling for demographic characteristics, driving exposure, and other risk factors, self-reported DUIPO significantly increased the odds of a collision (AdjOR = 1.97; 95% CI 1.08, 3.60; p = 0.026). CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, DUIPO is a notable road safety issue. Research focused on better understanding the impact of prescription opioids on driver behaviour, reducing the prevalence of DUIPO, and improving drug-impaired driving policy and interventions should be prioritized in public health strategies.

Multiple "Lower BAC" offenders: Characteristics and response to remedial interventions.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, there has been increasing attention to "lower BAC" drinking drivers, typically those whose blood alcohol content (BAC) is under the legal limits defined in criminal law. In 2009, legislation was enacted in Ontario, Canada that enabled police to issue roadside license suspensions to individuals caught driving with BAC between 0.05% and 0.08%, known as the "warn range". Multiple warn range (MWR) offenders are required to attend the Back on Track (BOT) remedial measures program. This study aimed to provide: (1) a preliminary characterization of MWR drivers charged under warn range legislation; and (2) an initial assessment of outcomes associated with BOT participation among MWR offenders. METHODS: A subsample of 727 MWR offenders was drawn from program records, and compared to samples of 3597 first-time Criminal Code (CC) offenders (those caught driving with a BAC of 0.08% or higher) and 359 second-time CC offenders. To provide an initial assessment of outcomes associated with BOT participation, another subsample consisted of 394 MWR participants from whom pre- and post-workshop questionnaires were collected and successfully matched using probabilistic matching processes. RESULTS: Similarities in demographic profile and driving history between MWR and first-time CC participants were apparent. MWR offenders scored higher on risk of problem drinking and drink-driving recidivism than either of the CC offender groups. Second-time CC offenders scored higher on these measures than first-time CC offenders. Following BOT participation, MWR participants demonstrated positive change including improved knowledge of and intentions to avoid drink-driving. CONCLUSIONS: MWR offenders share a similar demographic profile to that of first-time CC offenders and they report significantly higher risk of problem drinking and recidivism. MWR offenders may include high-functioning problem drinkers who are likely to continue drink-driving and who may escalate to a CC drink-driving offense. Like CC offenders, MWR offenders benefited from BOT participation.

Evaluating moderators of beneficial effects of severity-based assignment to substance use treatments in impaired drivers.

Remedial programs for impaired driving offenders have proved valuable in reducing subsequent alcohol and other drug use and preventing recidivism in this population. Many of these programs are based on a severity-based assignment scheme, where individuals assessed to have greater problems or be at higher risk are assigned to longer, more intensive interventions. Recent research, using regression discontinuity analyses, provided support for severity-based assignment schemes in demonstrating that those with higher problem or risk levels assigned to longer and more intensive programming showed a significant reduction in drinking days over a follow-up interval, attributable to program assignment. Regression discontinuity analyses can also be used to assess moderators of this assignment benefit. We report an assessment of the impact of eight potential moderators of assignment benefit, derived from a factor analysis of the Research on Addictions Self-Inventory screening instrument. Five of the eight factors were found to moderate the assignment benefit: Negative Affect, Sensation Seeking, High Risk Lifestyle, Alcohol Problems, and Family History. The significance of these results for developing more effective program assignment procedures is discussed.

The relationship between depressed mood, self-efficacy and affective states during the drinking driving sequence.

Relationships between depressed mood, abstinence confidence and temptation, and experienced emotions just before and during recent drinking driving sequences (drinking driving emotional states: DDES) were examined in a sample of DUI (Driving Under the Influence) offenders. Depressed mood offenders (41% of sample) reported lower abstinence confidence, higher temptation, and higher DDES, especially in association with negative affective states. Implications for interventions with depressed mood DUI offenders are discussed.