Transmit Breaking Coverage and Events with Telesat’s Occasional Use Services. From breaking news to live sporting events, customers rely on Telesat’s 50 years of engineering excellence to deliver flawless event coverage. With flexible Occasional Use (OU) booking options from 5 minutes to large blocks of time scattered throughout a week, month or year, Telesat’s contribution services ensures viewers don’t miss. The Town of Ajax launched an Occasional-use Parking Permit Pilot Program, which ran from January 2019 to December 31, 2019. The purpose of the pilot was to: Include free permits to anyone utilizing the system Provide for 24-hour consisting parking for residents or guests Be available 7 days of the week Allow for 12 permits per year, per license plate Not be valid during winter control events. Occasional use of cocaine. I use occasionally but there was a point where my cocaine use was getting out of hand and i was spending more than i could afford thankfully getting a good job really helped me cut down my use and i dont really have the cravings for it that i used to, will still get a bag when im drinking with friends.

Sometimes picking up a joint can seem like the best way to wind down (particularly if you live in a place where it's legal) — but you might be wondering what cannabis does to your body over time. It's a complex plant, and its impact on your health is still being studied, with decades of legal restrictions slowly lifting.

Best Printer For Occasional Use

Pot has been found to have more health benefits over the last few years, like alleviating chronic pain and helping insomnia. But depending on how often you smoke, there could be risks, too.

'Work from my lab and others does suggest that frequency of use correlates positively with cannabis-related problems,' Mitchell Earleywine Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Albany, tells Bustle. 'But the effect isn't particularly big.' Your experience will be pretty different if you're an occasional weed-brownie-haver as opposed to a several-times-a-day vaper.

Whether you identify as an occasional or daily user, a bong ripper, or gummy-snacker, here's what's happening in your body when you use weed.

Occasional Use

Scientists are still trying to figure out how many of weed's effects are temporary, what's long-term, and how much dosage is required. (And then there's the fact that men react differently to women when it comes to cannabinoids, which is often not used as a factor in studies.) 'Occasional use by adults is generally safe, particularly for those who use the vaporizer,' Earleywine says.

One way a smoking session every few months may hurt your body is in immune response. There is evidence cannabinoids interferes in our resistance to infection. One study in Journal of Cannabis Research in 2020 found that heavy cannabis use — defined as seven or more hits in the past 30 days — tended to increase white blood cells, which indicates that the immune system is under strain, but it's not clear if occasional use will have the same effects.

A single hit will significantly impair your balance, your reaction time, and your ability to form new memories, but these effects will wear off as your high does. 'The impairment from cannabis relates to impaired ability to deal with unexpected events, like avoiding a car that comes out of nowhere,' Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, tells Bustle. And 2015 study in Schizophrenia Bulletin has found that just one hit can cause paranoia in some people, which you probably knew.

Monthly Use

Determining whether risks increase with use when it comes to cannabis is a bit tricky. 'Monthly use has no meaningful impact,' Jonathan Caukins Ph.D., professor of operations research and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College and an expert on cannabis legalization, tells Bustle.

Having a monthly smoke may to be linked to temporary harm to cognitive skills like memory, assimilation of new information, and attention, but it's likely to be pass pretty quickly. According to a review of studies published in Journal of Addiction Medicine in 2012, a monthly user will 'spring back' from this damage over four weeks of abstinence.

One study, published in 2014 by the Society Of Prevention Research, looked at boys throughout their lives, from 7th grade to age 35. Monthly weed use was common, and it didn't seem to make a difference to the 35-year-olds' health issues, medications, injuries, or hospitalizations. Men who didn't smoke weed had the same outcomes.

Weekly Use

When you smoke weekly, health risks go up. A 2020 study of 3,400 people published in JACC Cardiovascular Imaging found that weekly users showed problems with the left ventricles of their hearts and shifts in their heart structure. Regular use has also been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, particularly in the first few hours after a session.

A 2011 review of weekly users, published in Indian Journal of Psychiatry,found that going cold turkey for a month can restore cognitive powers, from reaction time to memory and dexterity. Other studies, though, only showed partial recovery. The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse & Addiction did a roundup of studies in 2019 that found weekly smoking was much less likely to produce permanent cognitive problems than daily smoking.

For all the fearmongering, even daily use of weed isn't going to be that harmful, all things considered. A 2015 study published in Annals of the American Thoracic Society stated fairly definitively that, even after 20 years of daily use, weed smokers were still able to expel the same amount of air from their lungs as non-smokers.

The scientific opinion on daily smoking and lung cancer isn't clear either. Cancer Research UK found that some studies believe there is a link, while others don't believe the indications are strong enough. They point out that the huge variation in the strength of weed, the fact that people sometimes smoke it with tobacco, and the different ways individuals process it all make a link hard to pin down. 'Although cannabis does increase symptoms of bronchitis like coughing and wheezing, it does not appear to elevate risk for lung cancer,' Earleywine says.

There's an argument that daily, heavy spliff use may actually alter the structure of your brain. 'Daily use has many dangers, including most obviously altering brain pathways,' Caukins says. A 2014 study published in PNAS found that daily users seemed to have a smaller orbitofrontal cortex, the part of the brain that helps with emotional and decision-oriented processing, but also had denser links between different parts of the brain. A 2017 study published in Pediatric Neurology also found that chronic weed use was linked to damage in the brain's white matter.

'One effect is subtle memory deficits,' Johnson says. 'These seems to disappear with about a month of abstinence.' Daily use can also result in dependence, he says, which means you start feeling irritable, sleepless and lose your appetite whenever you stop.

The Bottom Line

'The data on cannabis and altered brain structure only seem to appear in those who used the plant heavily while still very young,' Earleywine cautions. And these findings have been hard to replicate. 'Plenty of daily users have literally no problems related to the plant, and some occasional users consume in unsafe ways,' he says. 'Those who begin use early in life tend to show more problems with the plant than those who start when they are older.'

So frequency may not be the be-all and end-all for determining how weed is affecting your health; what time of day you smoke, how you do it, and how young you were when you began smoking are all factors, too.

Readers should note that laws governing cannabis, hemp and CBD are evolving, as is information about the efficacy and safety of those substances. As such, the information contained in this post should not be construed as legal or medical advice. Always consult your physician prior to trying any substance or supplement.

Experts:

Jonathan Caukins Ph.D.

Mitchell Earleywine Ph.D.

Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D.

Studies cited:

Alshaarawy, O. (2019) Total and differential white blood cell count in cannabis users: results from the cross-sectional National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005–2016. J Cannabis Res1, 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-019-0007-8

Crean, R. D., Crane, N. A., & Mason, B. J. (2011). An evidence based review of acute and long-term effects of cannabis use on executive cognitive functions. Journal of addiction medicine, 5(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1097/ADM.0b013e31820c23fa

Hall W. (2015). What has research over the past two decades revealed about the adverse health effects of recreational cannabis use?. Addiction (Abingdon, England), 110(1), 19–35. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.12703

Filbey, F. M., Aslan, S., Calhoun, V. D., Spence, J. S., Damaraju, E., Caprihan, A., & Segall, J. (2014). Long-term effects of marijuana use on the brain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 111(47), 16913–16918. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1415297111

Freeman, D., Dunn, G., Murray, R. M., Evans, N., Lister, R., Antley, A., Slater, M., Godlewska, B., Cornish, R., Williams, J., Di Simplicio, M., Igoumenou, A., Brenneisen, R., Tunbridge, E. M., Harrison, P. J., Harmer, C. J., Cowen, P., & Morrison, P. D. (2015). How cannabis causes paranoia: using the intravenous administration of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to identify key cognitive mechanisms leading to paranoia. Schizophrenia bulletin, 41(2), 391–399. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbu098

Kempker, J. A., Honig, E. G., & Martin, G. S. (2015). The effects of marijuana exposure on expiratory airflow. A study of adults who participated in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Study. Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 12(2), 135–141. https://doi.org/10.1513/AnnalsATS.201407-333OC

Khanji, M. Y., Jensen, M. T., Kenawy, A. A., Raisi-Estabragh, Z., Paiva, J. M., Aung, N., Fung, K., Lukaschuk, E., Zemrak, F., Lee, A. M., Barutcu, A., Maclean, E., Cooper, J., Piechnik, S. K., Neubauer, S., & Petersen, S. E. (2020). Association Between Recreational Cannabis Use and Cardiac Structure and Function. JACC. Cardiovascular imaging, 13(3), 886–888. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmg.2019.10.012

Mandelbaum, D. E., & de la Monte, S. M. (2017). Adverse Structural and Functional Effects of Marijuana on the Brain: Evidence Reviewed. Pediatric neurology, 66, 12–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2016.09.004

Shrivastava, A., Johnston, M., & Tsuang, M. (2011). Cannabis use and cognitive dysfunction. Indian journal of psychiatry, 53(3), 187–191. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.86796

Struik, D., Sanna, F., & Fattore, L. (2018). The Modulating Role of Sex and Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Hormones in Cannabinoid Sensitivity. Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 12, 249. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00249

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice; Committee on the Health Effects of Marijuana: An Evidence Review and Research Agenda. The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2017 Jan 12. 8, Immunity.

This fact sheet is intended to provide user-friendly information regarding FMCSA regulations. This information does not modify or replace applicable regulations and is not legally binding in its own right. This fact sheet will not be relied upon as a separate basis for enforcement or other penalty and does not affect rights and obligations under existing statutes and regulations.

Non-Business Related Transportation of Personal Property

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has previously provided guidance regarding an exception to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for non-business related transportation of personal property, including the transportation of animals and vehicles to shows or other events. To qualify for this exception, there can be no compensation for the transportation, and the driver cannot be engaged in business related to the transportation (e.g., a professional racing operation transporting horses or cars to a race).

In such non-business related transportation of personal property, the FMCSRs do not apply, even if prize or scholarship money is offered. This exception includes the Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations and requirements for Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs). As previously noted in the Agency’s guidance relating to the transportation of horses, the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) regulations do not apply to transportation of personal property when the vehicle is used strictly for non-business purposes unless a CDL is required by the driver’s home state.

How to Determine if a Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Transporting Personal Property is Required to Use an ELD or Have a CDL

If a safety official stops a driver transporting animals, vehicles or other personal property, FMCSA recommends that the driver explain that the transportation is non-business related.

FMCSA recommends the driver use the following questions to determine if a CDL, ELD, or paper records of duty status (RODS) are required:

1. Does the vehicle or vehicle combination have a GVWR, GVW, GCWR or GCW (whichever is greater) of 10,001 pounds or more?

If NO, then the HOS and CDL regulations DONOT apply.

2. Does the vehicle or vehicle combination have a GVWR, GVW, GCWR or GCW (whichever is greater) of 10,001 pounds or more, but less than 26,001 pounds?

If YES, the individual MAY need an ELD to complete the RODS. However, a CDL is NOT required.

3. Does the vehicle or vehicle combination have a GVWR, GVW, GCWR or GCW (whichever is greater) of 26,001 pounds or more?

If YES, the driver MAY need an ELD to complete the RODS and a CDL MAY be required.

4. Is the vehicle being used for the occasional, recreational transportation of personal property for a non-business purpose, such as taking a personally owned animal, vehicle or other personal property to a show when the underlying business is unrelated?

Occasional User Definition

If YES, the HOS regulations DO NOT apply. A CDL is NOT required unless the licensing state requires it. Note: Drivers must verify the licensing requirements in their home States.

Several ELD exceptions may apply, including, but not limited to:

• Drivers who operate a vehicle that requires a CDL within a 100-air mile radius (150-air mile radius for vehicles not requiring CDL) and work no longer than 12 hours each day;
• Vehicles that are older than model year 2000; and
• Drivers who are required to complete RODS only for eight (8) days or fewer in a 30-day period.

Employers and drivers who transport personal property to support an underlying business in a vehicle or combination of vehicles with a GVWR, GVW, GCWR, or GCW of 26,001 pounds or more must comply with the CDL requirements.

However, a State may exempt operators of farm vehicles from its CDL requirements. A farm vehicle waiver is limited to the driver’s home State unless there is a reciprocal agreement with adjoining States.

Non-Business Related Transportation of Personal Property Frequently Asked Questions

49 CFR § 390.3(f)(3) “Occasional use” exemption

Question: Does the exemption in § 390.3(f)(3) for the ‘‘occasional transportation of personal property by individuals not for compensation nor in the furtherance of a commercial enterprise’’ apply to persons who occasionally use commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) to transport animals, vehicles or similar items to races, tournaments, shows or similar events, even if prize money is offered at these events?

Guidance: Yes. If a person meets this exemption’s requirements, he or she is not subject to the FMCSRs, including ELD requirements. This exception is explained in FMCSA’s regulatory guidance for § 390.3, question 21.

Electronic Logging Device (ELD)

Scenario 1:

Occasional Use Of Ativan

Question: If a driver transports an animal, vehicle or other personal property in interstate commerce in a vehicle or vehicle combination with a GVWR, GVW, GCWR, or GCW (whichever is greater) of less than 10,001 pounds, is the driver required to use an ELD?

Guidance: No. A driver who transports an animal, vehicle or other personal property in interstate commerce in a vehicle or vehicle combination with a GVWR, GVW, GCWR, or GCW (whichever is greater) of less than 10,001 pounds, is not subject to the FMCSRs and therefore not required to use an ELD.

Scenario 2:

Question: If a driver transports an animal, vehicle or other personal property only in intrastate commerce is the driver required to use an ELD?

Guidance: In general, the FMCSRs do not apply to intrastate commerce. However, States have similar regulations that may vary from Federal regulations and from State to State. A driver in intrastate commerce should check with the State commercial motor vehicle authorities to determine which regulations apply.

Scenario 3

Question: If a driver transports an animal, vehicle or other personal property in interstate commerce in a vehicle or vehicle combination with a GVWR, GVW, GCWR, or GCW (whichever is greater) of 10,001 pounds or more, and the driver does not qualify for the “occasional use” exemption in § 390.3(f)(3), is the driver required to use an ELD?

Guidance: Yes. A driver who transports an animal, vehicle or other personal property in interstate commerce in a vehicle or vehicle combination with a GVWR, GVW, GCWR, or GCW (whichever is greater) of 10,001 pounds or more, and the driver does not qualify for the “occasional use” exemption in § 390.3(f)(3), must use an ELD unless he or she is subject to an ELD exception.

Scenario 4

Question: If a driver transports an animal, vehicle or other personal property in interstate commerce in a vehicle or vehicle combination with a GVWR, GVW, GCWR, or GCW (whichever is greater) of 10,001 pounds or more, and the driver does qualify for the “occasional use” exemption in § 390.3(f)(3), is the driver required to use an ELD?

Guidance: No. A driver who qualifies for the “occasional use” exemption is not subject to the FMCSRs and is not required to use an ELD.

Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)

Note: Drivers must verify the licensing requirements in their home States.

Scenario 1

Question: If a driver transports an animal, vehicle or other personal property in intrastate or interstate commerce in a vehicle or combination vehicle with a GVWR, GVW, GCWR, or GCW (whichever is greater) of less than 26,001 pounds, is the driver required to have a CDL?

Guidance: No. A driver who transports an animal, vehicle or other personal property in intrastate or interstate commerce in a vehicle or combination vehicle with a GVWR, GVW, GCWR, or GCW (whichever is greater) of less than 26,001 pounds, is not required to have a CDL.

Scenario 2

Question: If a driver transports an animal, vehicle or other personal property in interstate or intrastate commerce in a vehicle or combination vehicle with a GVWR, GVW, GCWR, or GCW (whichever is greater) of 26,001 pounds or more in interstate or intrastate commerce, is the driver required to have a CDL?

Guidance: A driver who transports an animal, vehicle or other personal property in interstate or intrastate commerce in a vehicle or combination vehicle with a GVWR, GVW, GCWR, or GCW (whichever is greater) of 26,001 pounds or more may be required to have a CDL if:

1. The vehicle has a GVWR or GVW of 26,001 pounds or more; or
2. The combination vehicle has a GCWR or GCW of 26,001 pounds or more, whichever is greater, inclusive of a towed unit(s) with a GVWR or GVW of more than 10,000 pounds, whichever is greater.

As previously explained in FMCSA’s regulatory guidance for § 383.3, question 6, drivers of vehicles used strictly for non-business purposes do not need a CDL unless the state of licensure requires it.

Click here for a recorded presentation on the Agriculture Exemption; click here for the corresponding powerpoint slides.

Agricultural Exemptions