The Victorian government has unveiled the next step in its bid to examine how medicinal cannabis impacts an individual’s driving ability.
The government announced on Tuesday it was introducing legislation to parliament to allow for a “world-leading” closed-circuit trial to be conducted.
The trial will look into whether individuals who are prescribed medicinal cannabis containing delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can safely get behind the wheel.
Currently in Victoria “it is an offence… for a person to drive with any amount of THC in their system, including any amount of THC from medicinal cannabis”.
An independent research organisation will be selected to implement the trial which will see medicinal cannabis users drive on tracks away from public roads.
“Detailed design work will designate a controlled driving environment for the trial that is physically separated from public roads, with safety considerations for all participants and research staff the priority,” a government statement said.
“In order for a research trial on the effects of medicinal cannabis on driving impairment to be lawfully conducted, trial participants will need to display driving behaviours which potentially may constitute offences under the Road Safety Act 1986.”
Victoria in 2016 became the first Australian state to legalise medicinal cannabis, with significant growth recorded in the number of residents being offered the treatment in the time since.
In the past two years alone, there has been a 700 per cent increase in the number of patients being prescribed with medicinal cannabis.
“Medicinal cannabis is playing an increasing role as a therapeutic option for individuals with certain health conditions who feel they can drive safely without impairment,” the statement said.
“Significant gaps remain in understanding THC’s potential impairment on driving performance in different driver cohorts and the relationship between THC concentrations from medicinal cannabis and road safety risk to aid potential regulatory reform.”
Roads Minister Melissa Horne added the trial is about “enhancing our understanding of the how medicinal cannabis affects driving behaviour and informing future reform”.
Data collected from the trial will be “carefully considered before any future recommendations” can be made.
Victoria is also developing a medicinal cannabis clinical decision support tool to better enable health professionals to consider a patient’s driving requirements before filling out a prescription.
(Sky News)
