Study on Cannabis and Driving Ability Delayed
Study on Cannabis and Driving Ability Delayed
Blog Article
A trial aimed at assessing the impact of cannabis on driving ability and informing medical cannabis policy in Victoria, Australia, has been postponed.
An Australian trial examining the effects of medical cannabis on driving abilities won't be completed until late 2025. The Guardian reports that cannabis advocates in Australia are frustrated with the Victorian government's apparent delay in what has been labeled a priority issue.
In February 2023, then-state premier Daniel Andrews emphasized the need to understand how cannabis affects driving, noting that approximately 200,000 medicinal cannabis patients in Victoria face restrictions on their ability to drive. This is largely because THC can remain detectable in the body for weeks or even months after consumption, making it nearly impossible for these patients to drive without the fear of being considered impaired by authorities.
On May 14, Victorian premier Jacinta Allan announced that Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne will conduct the trial. The $4.9 million study (approximately $3.26 million USD) will take 18 months and evaluate the driving performance of about 70 medicinal cannabis patients, focusing on their ability to handle distractions and manage tasks such as steering, braking, and speed control on a specialized track.
“Allan remarked, ‘Just as we were the first state in the nation to introduce medicinal cannabis to support people with medical conditions, we are now initiating this world-first trial to examine its effects on individuals on a closed circuit driving track.’”
Since legalizing medical cannabis in 2016, Victoria has maintained strict laws, making it illegal for anyone to drive with any trace of THC in their system.
Delays in Cannabis Driving Impact Study Draw Criticism
Legalise Cannabis MPs David Ettershank and Rachel Payne expressed their disappointment over the timeline of the trial assessing the impact of cannabis on driving abilities. “Jacinta Allan may be on a driving track today, but I know she is intentionally ‘stalling’ on this decision,” Payne remarked. She pointed out that in 2023, Dan Andrews had promised a resolution “in coming months” and assured that it would be addressed by 2024. With a new premier, she now believes it may not be resolved until mid-2026 at the earliest. Ettershank suggested that the delay discriminates against medicinal cannabis patients and questioned the political motives behind it.
Possible Changes Ahead
In Tasmania, leaders have implemented a medical defense for drivers found with THC in their system, recognizing that the substance can remain detectable for weeks or even months. However, Roads Minister Melissa Horne noted that Tasmania has far fewer medicinal cannabis patients compared to Victoria. “At the heart of it, this is a basic human rights issue; we have people legally prescribed cannabis who cannot drive,” she stated.
While companies are developing cannabis breathalyzers, standardized testing for cannabis impairment is still largely lacking. Current tests detect THC in the bloodstream, which does not accurately reflect a person’s immediate impairment.
Understanding Cannabis’s Impact on Driving
Researchers in Australia have been exploring how long cannabis can impair driving performance. A study by Thomas R. Arkell, Danielle McCartney, and Iain S. McGregor from The Lambert Initiative at the University of Sydney found that cannabis can impair driving shortly after consumption, but this impairment typically subsides long before THC metabolites are cleared from the body.
“Patients using THC-containing products should avoid driving and other safety-sensitive tasks, especially during the initial treatment phase and in the hours following each dose,” the authors advised. They emphasized that patients might test positive for THC even when they feel fine, and current laws do not exempt medical cannabis users from roadside drug testing and its penalties.
Innovations in Impairment Testing
Hound Labs, based in Oakland, California, announced in 2021 that its Hound Marijuana Breathalyzer would soon hit the market, capable of detecting THC in breath. Dr. Mike Lynn, CEO and co-founder of Hound Labs, stated that the first commercial units would be available by spring 2021 and production would increase throughout the year.
The Hound Breathalyzer could significantly impact law enforcement, drivers, employers, and medical cannabis patients, as it aims to measure current impairment based on THC levels in breath. The developers believe THC molecules remain in breath for up to four hours post-consumption.
In the U.S., twelve states—Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, and Wisconsin—enforce zero-tolerance laws for specific substances, including THC. Report this page