Victorian medicinal cannabis users free to drive from today

[Dotts]

Victorian medicinal cannabis users free to drive from today

www.9news.com.au

Victorian medicinal cannabis users will no longer automatically lose their licence if they're caught driving with traces of the drug in their system from today.
Drivers who test positive in a random roadside test for cannabis will have the opportunity to appear in court and present their prescription.
Magistrates will have the power to use their discretion when sentencing people who have tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

About 1.8 million medicinal cannabis prescriptions have been issued since 2016.
Legalise Cannabis Victoria MP David Ettershank said it was a victory for common sense.
"Until now anyone prescribed medicinal cannabis lived in fear of losing their licence because under the old laws even trace amounts of THC resulted in a six-month loss of licence for a first offence and Victorian magistrates had no power to intervene," je he said.

"From March 1, magistrates have the power to say, 'You are a medicinal cannabis patient, you have provided your current script, and you weren't impaired behind the wheel – you can keep your licence.'"
THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, can remain in a person's system for several days after they take their prescribed medication.

Fellow Legalise Cannabis Victoria MP Rachel Payne said the law change was much needed.
"THC is only impairing for a few hours, but a saliva test will come up positive to THC days after consumption," Payne said.
"I am prescribed medicinal cannabis and like other patients, I am responsible and never drive in the hours after taking my medication, but I live in fear of being stopped by police and testing positive.
"There could be tiny traces of THC in my system. I just don't know, but I'm so relieved that I will now be spared from automatic loss of licence."
The government has invested $4.9 million for Swinburne University to quantify the drug's intoxication.
Researchers over the year will put a total of 96 drivers to the test to measure differences in speed, control, steering, braking and a driver's ability to handle distractions while using medicinal marijuana.
They will then hand down a report later this year, which may include some recommendations.

Will also put this here...

Medical Cannabis Dosing Doesn’t Negatively Impact Driving Performance in Experienced Patients

Vaping one dose, prescribed flower—no significant changes in performance.

www.lcqparty.org

Medical Cannabis Dosing Doesn’t Negatively Impact Driving Performance in Experienced Patients​

Patients who consume botanical cannabis over extended periods do not exhibit significant changes in their simulated driving performance, according to data published in the Journal of Safety Research. Australian researchers assessed patients’ simulated driving performance at baseline and 45 minutes after they vaporised prescribed doses of cannabis flowers. Under Australian law, physicians may authorise cannabis products to patients unresponsive to conventional prescription treatments.

“After vaporising one dose of their prescribed cannabis flower, participants exhibited no significant changes in performance on any of the video-based tasks (hazard perception skill, gap acceptance, following distance or speed) compared to baseline”, investigators reported. The study’s authors concluded, “The findings … suggest that a dose of vaporised cannabis (consumed in accordance with prescription) may not affect hazard perception ability or driving-related risk-taking behaviour among medicinal cannabis patients”.

The study’s findings are consistent with those of several others determining that daily cannabis consumers, and patients especially, exhibit tolerance to many of cannabis’ psychomotor-influencing effects. According to the findings of a 2012 literature review published in the journal of the German Medical Association, “Patients who take cannabinoids at a constant dosage over an extensive period of time often develop tolerance to the impairment of psychomotor performance, so that they can drive vehicles safely”.

Read the study here...

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437524002123?via%3Dihub

 

[med180]

Victorian medicinal cannabis users free to drive from today

www.9news.com.au

Victorian medicinal cannabis users will no longer automatically lose their licence if they're caught driving with traces of the drug in their system from today.
Drivers who test positive in a random roadside test for cannabis will have the opportunity to appear in court and present their prescription.
Magistrates will have the power to use their discretion when sentencing people who have tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

About 1.8 million medicinal cannabis prescriptions have been issued since 2016.
Legalise Cannabis Victoria MP David Ettershank said it was a victory for common sense.
"Until now anyone prescribed medicinal cannabis lived in fear of losing their licence because under the old laws even trace amounts of THC resulted in a six-month loss of licence for a first offence and Victorian magistrates had no power to intervene," je he said.

"From March 1, magistrates have the power to say, 'You are a medicinal cannabis patient, you have provided your current script, and you weren't impaired behind the wheel – you can keep your licence.'"
THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, can remain in a person's system for several days after they take their prescribed medication.

Fellow Legalise Cannabis Victoria MP Rachel Payne said the law change was much needed.
"THC is only impairing for a few hours, but a saliva test will come up positive to THC days after consumption," Payne said.
"I am prescribed medicinal cannabis and like other patients, I am responsible and never drive in the hours after taking my medication, but I live in fear of being stopped by police and testing positive.
"There could be tiny traces of THC in my system. I just don't know, but I'm so relieved that I will now be spared from automatic loss of licence."
The government has invested $4.9 million for Swinburne University to quantify the drug's intoxication.
Researchers over the year will put a total of 96 drivers to the test to measure differences in speed, control, steering, braking and a driver's ability to handle distractions while using medicinal marijuana.
They will then hand down a report later this year, which may include some recommendations.

Will also put this here...

Medical Cannabis Dosing Doesn’t Negatively Impact Driving Performance in Experienced Patients

Vaping one dose, prescribed flower—no significant changes in performance.

www.lcqparty.org

Medical Cannabis Dosing Doesn’t Negatively Impact Driving Performance in Experienced Patients​

Patients who consume botanical cannabis over extended periods do not exhibit significant changes in their simulated driving performance, according to data published in the Journal of Safety Research. Australian researchers assessed patients’ simulated driving performance at baseline and 45 minutes after they vaporised prescribed doses of cannabis flowers. Under Australian law, physicians may authorise cannabis products to patients unresponsive to conventional prescription treatments.

“After vaporising one dose of their prescribed cannabis flower, participants exhibited no significant changes in performance on any of the video-based tasks (hazard perception skill, gap acceptance, following distance or speed) compared to baseline”, investigators reported. The study’s authors concluded, “The findings … suggest that a dose of vaporised cannabis (consumed in accordance with prescription) may not affect hazard perception ability or driving-related risk-taking behaviour among medicinal cannabis patients”.

The study’s findings are consistent with those of several others determining that daily cannabis consumers, and patients especially, exhibit tolerance to many of cannabis’ psychomotor-influencing effects. According to the findings of a 2012 literature review published in the journal of the German Medical Association, “Patients who take cannabinoids at a constant dosage over an extensive period of time often develop tolerance to the impairment of psychomotor performance, so that they can drive vehicles safely”.

Read the study here...

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437524002123?via%3Dihub

"From March 1, magistrates have the power to say,"
They have the option to not take your licence, completely down to the judges discretion, being most judges are cunts they can and will still fuck you over if they don't like the cut of your jib.

 

[Sun Ra]

"From March 1, magistrates have the power to say,"
They have the option to not take your licence, completely down to the judges discretion, being most judges are cunts they can and will still fuck you over if they don't like the cut of your jib.

Well, it's still a start.

 

[benn0]

Still have to take a coupe months off work while ya license is suspended and you wait for a court date, thats if ya dont get reemed for anything else while the cops have you in their clutches because you tested positive to the lick stick. It should be 'show the cops an active script and be on your way'.

 

[Billygoat]

Still have to take a coupe months off work while ya license is suspended and you wait for a court date, thats if ya dont get reemed for anything else while the cops have you in their clutches because you tested positive to the lick stick. It should be 'show the cops an active script and be on your way'.

You sure? I read it as there will no longer be an instant loss. But you will have to attend court?

 

[benn0]

I only seen "there will no longer an automatic loss of license"

 

[Billygoat]

I only seen "there will no longer an an automatic loss of license"

Would that not indicate that you don’t lose it automatically roadside?

 

[benn0]

"without the power for a magistrate to intervene" so i assume that the law is the magistrate had to take the license without any discretion thus the term "automatic". who knows probably only not aoud to drive for 24 hours after the incident like drink driving

 

[HomeBound_Hound]

"From March 1, magistrates have the power to say,"
They have the option to not take your licence, completely down to the judges discretion, being most judges are cunts they can and will still fuck you over if they don't like the cut of your jib.

+1
As someone who has lost their license several times because of this I can't see alot of magistrates being the "good guy"