Medicinal Cannabis Driving Defence | Rachel Payne MP

[@aaronhopkins6697]

As a legal medicinal cannabis patient, I lost my licence for three months and received a $350 fine. Now another person in court before me, was there for three unlicensed driving charges one with illicit drugs in his system and another for speeding. The kind judge also gave this kid a three month licence suspended and a $350 fine, exactly the same as me for my one licenced driving with a detectable trace amount of my legal prescribed medication which I was following my doctor recommended dosage. This is clear discrimination against legal medicinal cannabis patient's here in Australia. I really hope this gets sorted out asap.

[@BLUEYGILA]

i probably would have got done for contempt in court.....

[@Dave_1969]

G'day Aaron it's wrong what happened to you and many other people and as a Victorian I hope this driving bull shit laws around cannabis is resolved not only for Victorian but every state in Australia all at the same time because we are one country

[@BLUEYGILA]

@@myeverythingworld8123 end of story ? lol.. so how was he stoned ? you do realize theye have done extensive testing and people that are on cannabis have the same reflex's and motor skills then someone that is not. did you know that you can drive in tasmania on medical cannabis and other states are going to follow suit eventually, why is that do you think ?

[@Dave_1969]

@@myeverythingworld8123 sounds like your another no it all that knows all about cannabis and its medical properties? and I'm not about to explain it all to another arrogant person who know nothing about cannabis so when you have time go on the internet and type in medical cannabis and find out the TRUSH you clown

[@Kicking-m4c]

​@@BLUEYGILAliar, it affects people's ability to drive that is proven.... Liar liar liar

[@gregsmith2262]

I live in fear of being charged with driving under the influence of THC. I do not take my medication outside the guidelines given by my doctor, but suffer significant anxiety if I see a roadside testing. I simply go shopping and pick up and drop off my kids to school. I have tried every anti depressant with bad side effects. Medicinal cannabis saved my life.

[@mishmash9397]

@@Kicking-m4chey meth head how are you?

[@Homebasecards]

Should just be legalized, every other country has done it. Better then our kids growing up smoking crack and meth 🤔

[@stufromoz8164]

I think the best thing we can do is work as hard has possible to reduce the two party preferred vote.

[@jbh2761]

We have the same problem in WA but the level of ignorance and lack of education by our state politicians in WA is unbelievable about medical cannabis..it’s a disgrace against the people who our politicians are meant to represent… it’s about revenue not about there health . You can be prescribed medical cannabis but fined for driving for having it in your system but not impaired to drive .. complete disgrace by our state governments .

[@aaronhopkins6697]

It is blatant discrimination to every medicinal cannabis patient.

[@elementzz1504]

You can drive on valium, temazepam, LSD just not cannabis

[@user-gz1hu5px1z]

You can drive on shrooms too.

[@kizzjd9578]

You can drive on Ketamine, cocaine, dmt, lsd, opioids. But god forbid you drive 1 week after using prescribed cannabis.

[@Yourdadselllsavon]

Yes although not very well

[@RS-uw2zm]

Very well said

[@legalisecannabisvictoria]

Thank you.

[@davidbrooks9576]

I drive tired, which is not ideal. I stopped taking THC to help me sleep with severe PTSD so I can legally drive. I drive better with a good sleep and presence of THC than tired without it.

[@smith5312]

Was there a “driving trial” for any other medications? No there has not been so why only discriminate against one medication and not others ?

[@Costa_Conn]

Yes there have been trials conducted on the effect of benzos, opiates and amphetamines. However there are many issues with the data used to assess the effect of cannabis on drugs. In much of the data from fatal car accidents that has been used to demonstrate the hazards of cannabis, combinations of drugs are found in the majority of cases, not just cannabis. As most people are aware, combining CNS active drugs, esp. alcohol exacerbates CNS effects. It is a complicated issue that has been poorly thought out by most governments.

[@thelollielab]

Very well presented and spoken. Im a single father of 2 young children. Im 44 years of age. I was a Medicinal Canabis patient, i gave it up 4 months ago after a (2nd) positive roadside swab. I suffered a nervous breakdown 3 months ago due to giving up medicinal canabis and the stress related to the impending mandatory 12 months loss of licence i was facing. I lost my employment due to taking 3 weeks off work to recover. I lost my licence for 12 months last Monday as a result of a second positive roadside swab in 3 years. I lost my NEW employment last Monday. I will find a way through this, i must for my children. Thanks you Rachel Payne for advocating for people in this predicament. My fingers are crossed for imporvement immediatly.

[@user-gz1hu5px1z]

I know how you feel,it is terrible. Hope things work out for you.

[@NameChangedDueToProfanity]

Anxiety when you're off it's probably from pumping impossible levels of dopamine into your brain. And how the hell would you have survived the stone age with your physiology? Quite easily. By not conditioning your brain with drugs, to always need drugs to feel alright. Weed consistently makes a disorganized mess of a man. Do better brother.

[@Kicking-m4c]

Oh you poor little guy 😂🤣😂🤣

[@thelollielab]

@@Kicking-m4c cheers mate, don't feel sorry for me though, i got this.

[@NameChangedDueToProfanity]

I commented anti-cannabis sentiment in reply to this and the comment was removed. It was slightly disparaging to drug users.

[@Adrian-qb1dx]

It should be cops back to the drawing board and finding a THC test for a 6hr span which would suit impairment over this test. If people were losing their licence for a beer they had yesterday there would be up roar. I'm currently on the Eyre Peninsula with no licence riding a bike on a highway to buy food. A 50$ test that brings in 1000$ in revenue will be difficult to make sapol give up.

[@GreenSkreen419]

I have epilepsy that was managed with benzodiazophan and In may 2023 I had an epileptic seizure on my way to work and crashed into trees and a house and car the result from that was a drug driving charge as it was in my blood from 3 days prior, the seizure was caused by a side effect of the medication which was what caused the accident (this is what the hospital and police explained to me) I then lost my job as I lost my licence due to having a seizure, which have then led to other mental health problems

[@iride4001]

Well said thankyou

[@mathewsmith8784]

Let's keep hammering this message... Well done ❤

[@jamest4424]

Canada can test for impairment! Australia is not interested in doing anything positive. Don't expect Dutton to help either. Once a cop........

[@GreenSkreen419]

Despite it being accessed through a medical professional the prices of medical cannabis is alongside if not more than cannabis from the black market, this needs to change to combat the illegal market

[@paulmason6192]

What are you buying and where from if you don't appreciate it being 50%cheaper than the black market.

[@apessimist7295]

@@paulmason6192 $99 for 15g for my prescription at my local pharmacy. 21.5% THC and

[@BLUEYGILA]

its 120 a oz in SA, medical is never going as cheap as that and will never beat the quality. you do realize all the medical is grown with bad practices ? ( fungicides, pesticides and pgr's ) and lets not talk about the sterilization practices that will blow your mind.

[@adamwaz5615]

​@@BLUEYGILAclearly you've never been inside a cannabis facility in Oz 🤦

[@maxfish4770]

No it's not, there are options right down to 6 bucks a gram

[@rajprasad3903]

Im an Apprentice Electrician here in Victoria, got my license suspended for using medicinal cannabis im prescribed due to a roadside test. Ive lost my license for 6 months, lost my job which subsequently put my apprenticeship on hold as its required for my line of work. I live alone and have to pay rent and bills but they dont seem to care. I waited another 28 days to reapply after completing a behaviour change program and having my fine put on a payment plan only to go to court at Moorabbin to barley speak a sentence after being sworn in and asked why the fine is not paid, I confirmed it was on a payment plan with fines vic, she wasnt happy and gave me a 3 month differal till the fine is payed. Total 10+ months before i can maybe get back on the road and back to full time work. This has affected my life and mental health greatly, Ive had enough.

[@derekbate9919]

medicinal cannabis is expensive

[@jamest4424]

Same price if not cheaper than the dude at the pub!

[@maxfish4770]

Nope

[@gregory-gm2te]

More revenue raising from the government

[@andrewmcdougall9546]

I have to stop to drive to work.. try to work. And above that manage ,yet the law kills again .. 😢

[@plschooseaname]

Thanks :)

[@adamwaz5615]

Let's put a stop to this!! Thr technology is already here.

[@robertlyndon9510]

I really hope this creates the legal clarification needed. If THC lasts for weeks in the body then the current law is unjustly discriminating against medically prescribed user’s. Falsely labelling them. So in pain just off yourself with opioids instead and get sicker. These politicians have no knowledge of true pain or compassion….. as usual.

[@roykelly5486]

it's for control for profit not facts

[@michaellucas7304]

4 year user, its not the same as the illegal stuff. Its worse. Hydro no good, just do illegal bush

[@wayno-ms1gm]

Thank you for your time

[@RypienGT]

How do you test for impairment? I am pro cannabis, but im not blind to the fact that the sheer strength of cannabis these days is pretty insane, and the explosion of high potency edibles definately can affect driving safely.

[@aaronhopkins6697]

Yes but not after a few hours.

[@paulmason6192]

I live in Queensland but it has to start somewhere!

[@ptorx1111]

lets make 0 tolerance to alcohol, things will soon change then.

[@gerrycooper56]

How do you know they’re not impaired?

[@BobLouden-r9q]

No if anyone has thc in system same rules apply Change the law about ALL THC. No to two tier laws. I know chronic pot smokers that found the right doctor so they can get medical pot when they don't have s medical condition.

[@Rudimental13]

Issue I have is just how exactly would a magistrate determine that a driver wasn't under the influence of cannabis while driving? Unlike BAC, which is very specific and thoroughly tested and researched, how do we determine when a driver is unable to drive on weed?

[@vincegrant3450]

Just legalise it.

[@caterpillar1936]

When she made a mistake in her speech I wanted someone to say 'are you HIGH right now??'

[@jamest4424]

The artificially intelligent politicians should not be allowed to make or enforce laws.

[@Kronin-n6f]

agreed. but i can see how this can be abused. What a world we live in.

[@Big_chungis]

Don’t care been smoking since I was 13 so what difference is it going to make now 40 years later.

[@maxfish4770]

Prove a level of impairment and get back to me

[@timetraveler2222]

400,000 prescriptions is NOT 400,000 patients, please get your stats right or we'll look like idiots...

[@offgrid5817]

How about telling everyone that driving is a commercial practice meaning a public sector worker?? And that none of this applies to everyday men and women moving there property from a to b as of right under the constitution.

[@mrgillagorilla]

Government's way to make money. It's all it is.

[@offgridjohn871]

Do not legislate nature.

[@Cainb420]

I Might have known this wasn't the UK. Couldn't get the government to do their job if we set them on fire. Currently, if I get stopped while driving I have my car impounded and a court day to plead my defence of medical use. Yous needing a horticulturist with dodgy legs out there.

[@offgrid5817]

What about those who just simply cannot drive safely like the local government guy in my town...who is outright dangerous behind the wheel yet tells everyone how they can travel??? Its all bull shit everyone should mind there oun business. Especially the magistrate as they are unlawful in the first place. Who are the people

[@user-su5lo8hr3c]

Seems the Victorian politicians might be on the chemical drugs that aren't tested roadside by their workers🤣🤔