A report tabled in South Australia’s Parliament last week recommends changes to the South Australian Road Traffic Act to allow patients using legally prescribed cannabis medicines containing THC to drive if they are not impaired.
The Joint Committee recommended South Australia’s Minister for Infrastructure and Transport prepare draft amendments to the Road Traffic Act to state it will not be an offence to drive whilst THC is present in oral fluid or blood where:
- a person has been prescribed a medical cannabis product containing THC;
- is using the product in accordance with the prescription;
- has a zero blood alcohol concentration; and
- the driver is not impaired.
The report points out provisions in the state of Tasmania allow an exemption if THC was obtained and administered in accordance with the Poisons Act 1971.
The driving issue isn’t the only topic addressed in the report and in total, 13 recommendations were made. Others related to regulation of workers who currently must not have THC present in oral fluid or blood, dispensing requirements and access, transport and storage, accessing Medicare benefits for Telehealth, compassionate programs for medicines among other issues.
The full Interim Report of the Joint Committee on the Legalisation of Medicinal Cannabis can be accessed here.
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20 September, 2024