A petition started by Montu vice president Rhys Staley urging the Victorian government to exempt medicinal cannabis patients from the state’s drug-driving laws has passed 1,500 signatories after being sponsored by Legalise Cannabis Victoria MP David Ettershank.
The petition states: “Tens of thousands of Victorian residents are prescribed medical cannabis by their doctor, but risk fines and loss of licence due to the current laws.
“We should not criminalise those who are legally prescribed medications, who are unimpaired and can drive safely. That is how we treat every single other prescription medicine and medical cannabis should be no different.”
It urges members of Victoria’s Legislative Council to call on the Allan Labor Government to amend the Road Safety Act 1986 to make it “no longer an offence for a driver who is unimpaired to have detectable THC in their blood or oral fluid, provided they have taken their medication as prescribed”.
To sign the petition, click here.
Meanwhile, the Transport Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 is being debated in the state’s Legislative Assembly today.
The bill responds to Etterhshank’s private member’s bill introduced in February to allow unimpaired medicinal cannabis patients to get behind the wheel in Victoria.
The amendments will ensure aspects of the Act do not apply to participants in a medicinal cannabis road safety research trial due to start next year.
