In a bill passed last year, the government committed to launch a closed-circuit trial to research the impairment that medicinal cannabis causes on driving.
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00:00 Alice Davey uses medicinal cannabis to dull the pain of MS and endometriosis.
00:06 She's been doing it for four years, but every time she hops in the car, she could be breaking the law.
00:11 I'm a full-time single parent to two young kids, and we don't live within walking distance for everywhere.
00:17 I do drive, there is no other option for me.
00:20 About 3% of Australians use medical marijuana, but traces of cannabis can be detected even if users are unimpaired,
00:26 meaning they could still lose their licence.
00:29 Former Premier Daniel Andrews promised to fix this, and a trial is about to begin.
00:34 We've waited long enough, and we're not doing anything illegal, we have a prescription.
00:39 The trial will happen here, a suburban track normally reserved for teenagers learning to drive.
00:45 Under the scheme, medicinal cannabis users will drive on this closed track
00:49 while a supervisor sits in the passenger seat with an extra brake pedal.
00:53 We need to take that evidence-based approach to making sure that we are getting the road rules right
01:00 for people who are taking a legally prescribed medicine,
01:04 but making sure that we're not compromising road safety at the same time.
01:09 This will be the fourth study on the impact medicinal cannabis has on driving.
01:13 But it'll take another 18 months before there's any results
01:16 or there's any proposed changes to the law for people using the drug.
01:20 The government has absolutely kicked the can down the road.
01:23 The Legalise Cannabis Party are frustrated by the delays.
01:26 I would say that patients would feel betrayed today because we're not at a resolution.
01:31 I think it's a joke.
01:33 Ms Davie has participated in trials before. She has a message for the Premier.
01:37 She should be quite disappointed in herself for knowing what she knows
01:43 and still making patients wait.
01:47 The trial should wrap up mid-2026, just in time for the next election.
01:51 Thank you.
01:52 [BLANK_AUDIO]