Skip navigation

Fair Driving Laws for Medicinal Cannabis Patients Voted Down

profile image
Cate Faehrmann
NSW Greens MP
12 October 2022

The Liberal-National and Labor Parties have voted down the Greens’ bill tonight to amend the unfair prosecution of medicinal cannabis patients that would have provided them a defence against drug driving charges if they were not impaired and have taken their medicine as prescribed. 

The Road Transport Amendment (Medicinal Cannabis - Exemptions from Offences) Bill 2021 was introduced into the Legislative Council on 17 November 2021 by Cate Faehrmann, Greens MP and spokesperson for Drug Law Reform and Harm Reduction and was referred to the Upper House Law and Justice Committee which reported on 11 August 2022. The bill was defeated  29 votes to 6. 

“It’s incredibly disappointing that the Government and Labor have joined forces to allow these unjustifiable laws to continue to unfairly punish medicinal cannabis patients in NSW,” said Cate Faehrmann. 

“Roadside drug tests can detect miniscule traces of THC in the system of a person who has consumed cannabis long after any effects have worn off. Our road laws should have been reformed to reflect his when medical cannabis was legalised five years ago. 

“Until our road laws are changed medicinal cannabis users will continue to face discrimination. 

“It was very disappointing that government speakers to the bill conflated illicit cannabis with legal medicinal cannabis use. They seemed to have very little understanding of the plight of tens of thousands of medicinal cannabis patients in NSW.

“Increasingly, people are turning to cannabis because it is the only medicine that brings them relief from conditions like PTSD or chronic pain. These patients will now continue to be forced to choose between driving or using the one medicine that works for them. 

“Other jurisdictions have successfully allowed cannabis patients to drive and so should NSW. 

“Make no mistake. The Greens will be bringing this bill back as a priority in the next term of parliament until this sensible reform gets done,” said Cate Faehrmann.

profile image
Cate Faehrmann
NSW Greens MP
12 October 2022
SHARE:

THE LATEST NEWS

MEDIA RELEASE

Dungowan Dam Cancellation a Win for Communities and Common Sense

The cancellation of Dungowan Dam is a win for communities and for common sense says Cate Faehrmann, Greens MP and water spokesperson, after NSW Minister for Water Rose Jackson announced that the Government would not be going ahead with the project in Question Time in the NSW Legislative Council today. ...

MEDIA RELEASE

Minns & Perrottet must commit to phasing out coal mining in Sydney’s Water Catchment

Dominic Perrottet and Chris Minns must commit to ruling out any new longwall mining in Sydney’s water catchment as well as a timetable to phase it out after it was revealed that one of the last actions by the NSW National Party Water Minister was to hand out water licences...

MEDIA RELEASE

Greens Announce Plan to Legalise Cannabis in Next Term of Parliament

Cate Faehrmann, Greens MP and drug law reform spokesperson, has today launched the Greens plan to legalise and regulate recreational cannabis in NSW. 

MEDIA RELEASE

Pill Testing Urgently Needed after Tragic Death at Music Festival: Greens

Following the tragic news of the death of a man from a drug overdose at Sydney’s Transmission Festival this weekend, Cate Faehrmann, Greens MP and drug law reform and harm reduction spokesperson is calling on the Government to urgently implement all recommendations of the Coronial Inquest into the six deaths...


CAMPAIGNS