Cannabis Driving Reform Blog

Imagine having to choose between taking your legally prescribed medication and going to work,doing the school run or getting the shopping that week. Yes, week. This is the stark reality for many Australian medicinal cannabis patients because of the discriminatory drug-driving laws that still exist in most states. Current laws penalise the mere presence of […]

If your prescribed medicine prevents you from driving and working, what does that mean for your human rights? The UK’s Cannabis Industry Council released a report this week into workplace issues for medicinal cannabis patients who are regarded as disabled under UK work, health and safety laws. Despite its specificity, it is a worthwhile read […]

Drive Change’s David Heilpern got some great soundbites in last Saturday morning and ABC News ran them on the hour, every hour, all day. This is the benefit of having elected reps in Victoria, WA and NSW bringing on topical parliamentary debates on cannabis law reform. Journalists will ring us to discuss this News, interview […]

Measuring impairment has more to do with the individual user, and much less with their blood content. While the drug driving laws continue to use blood and saliva as measures of impairment, up-to-date studies reveal the inaccuracy of these protocols. One such study published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews revealed that blood and saliva testing […]

With cannabis available via a prescription in Australia since 2016, both doctors and patients are increasingly more likely to consider it as part of a healthcare practice. Medicinal cannabis is already widely prescribed for conditions including PTSD, chronic pain, anxiety, and insomnia. Although the health industry generally agrees with its medicinal merits, the driving laws […]

This article is written by Drive Change ambassador Dr. Teresa Towpik. Below, she shares her experience with the drug driving laws from the standpoint of a medicinal cannabis doctor and patient. January 2016–what a month it was for me.  I didn’t realise it then, but this would mark the beginning of a new chapter in […]

Cody is sharing his experience as part of our “Personal Stories” series, inviting medicinal cannabis patients to share with the community how drug driving laws are impacting their quality of life. If you’d like to share your story, please email us at hello@drivechangemc.com.au Hi, my name is Cody. I’m 30 years old living with my […]

Recently I co-authored an article called Cannabis & Driving, which was published in the Australian Journal of General Practice. The report reviewed the scientific evidence regarding cannabis and driving impairment. It also discusses the legal issues affecting patients and physicians. The findings lead us to conclude that medicinal cannabis should be treated the same way […]

On the 11th of June 2021, the Drive Change Team responded to the National Transport Commission’s Assessment of Fitness To Drive Interim Report public consultation. We were lucky to have a majority of our Ambassadors, Supporters and Friends sign on to the submission, which we believe shows great support for ending discrimination toward medicinal cannabis […]

The Medicinal Cannabis Patients and Driving Working Group report has been in government hands for a few months. I am continuing to try and find the solution that will enable medicinal cannabis patients to drive when they are not impaired. Currently, medicinal cannabis patients are effectively prohibited from driving due to the medication that they […]

At Drive Change, we lobby to exclude medicinal cannabis users from the draconian drug driving detection laws. There are numerous reasons these laws are just plain wrong. But, one of the arguments we keep coming up against is road safety. Opponents of law change are adamant that these laws are designed to improve road safety.  […]

This is the story of Deborah. Deborah is a mum and an active, productive member of society. She has been suffering from chronic pain for four years. Chronic pain changed her life: Chronic Pain affected the way I exercise and socialise. But the health aspect it had the most significant impact on was my mental […]

The current state of Change It has been three months since the Drive Change campaign held its first Supporters & Stakeholder meeting. At the meeting, the Drive Change team presented why this campaign is crucial for future and existing patients. The team also asked both industry (product producers, importers and suppliers and the industry bodies […]

As someone working in the cannabis space, I constantly see people asking questions about their prescription cannabis and driving or raising their concerns about what could happen to them or how cannabis has changed their lives. Here are two quotes that I think sum up both the benefits of cannabis (for some) and the stupidity […]

A big win for medicinal cannabis patients in SA and the Drive Change campaign! The current drug driving laws are discriminatory toward medical cannabis patients. The Drive Change campaign was started to help create driving law reform that’s fair, equal, and improves public health. We’re honoured to have SA Greens MLC Tammy Franks as a […]

We are now at 200,000 tests each year in NSW. Similar numbers in Victoria. Tens of thousands in every other state. I reckon we will be close to a million next year. That is a frigging big number. I have spoken in the press for a solid nine months. The Drive Change campaign, which is […]

Blog cover image by hypnotiseme. A bill for change. On Wednesday, 3 February 2021, I addressed a roundtable meeting of parliamentarians in Parliament House Adelaide via Microsoft Teams. This was at the invitation of Tammy Frank, Greens MLC. Tammy has been a Greens member of South Australia’s upper house since 2010. The roundtable was organised […]