Cannabis also affects important skills needed for safety-sensitive tasks. It can slow your reaction time, making it harder to respond quickly to unexpected situations. This delay can be dangerous, especially when operating heavy machinery or driving. Your coordination may suffer, and your ability to make decisions can become impaired, leading to errors or poor judgment. It’s crucial to understand these short-term effects and avoid using cannabis before or during work.

Throughout this chapter we discuss how cannabis interacts with areas of the brain responsible for movement, memory, and judgment. These effects aren’t random—they’re chemical, predictable, and measurable. For workers where public safety is on the line, knowing this isn’t just academic—it’s about making smarter, safer choices on and off the job.