South East members denounce ‘unfair’ medicinal cannabis driving laws

Traders and parents prescribed medicinal cannabis have joined South East MP Rachel Payne to launch a new campaign for fair driving laws.

They have joined together to advocate for a legal defence for non-impaired drivers prescribed medicinal cannabis who test positive for drugs, so the government’s new $4.9 million medicinal can drive trial can begin.

Payne’s office has reportedly been contacted by numerous residents who were prescribed medicinal cannabis and were penalized for detecting cannabis in their system while driving, even though they showed no signs of impairment. Some have lost their driver’s licenses.

The campaign will include a day of public action to educate the public about Victoria’s drug testing, which Payne describes as “discriminatory” because it does not detect drugs such as powerful opiates but criminalises patients using medicinal cannabis.

A social media campaign featuring testimonies from affected drivers and billboards on major roads will also be set up to advance the issue.

Ms Payne said Legalise Cannabis would debate her motion on medicinal cannabis driving laws and the need for legal defence in the Upper House on July 31.

“Victorian police conduct approximately 150,000 random roadside drug tests each year,” Ms Payne said.

“These saliva tests do not determine whether a driver is impaired. They detect the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) chemicals in the body – often small traces from medications taken a few days before that have no impact on driving,” Payne said.

“Ordinary Victorian workers are losing their licences even if they take the medication prescribed by their doctor. There is nothing wrong with them driving. They should not be penalised because the tests only show presence.

“The first offence will result in a six-month licence loss and the second a 12-month loss. We will be campaigning vigorously in July to ensure that Victorian patients have legal defence.”

More than one million prescriptions have been issued in Australia for medicinal cannabis since it was legalised in 2016.