Cannabis Driving Reform Blog

Stay up to date with drug driving law reform changes and see how people Australia wide are helping to Drive Change for legal medical cannabis patients.

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It’s time to be kind and drive change for medicinal cannabis

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 […]

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Working and driving rights are human rights

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 […]

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Precarious working lives and longest days

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 […]

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The right to drive and the right to work

. The below article penned by Perth-based workplace lawyers appeared in the West Australian on 18 August 2023. It catastrophises the brave new world of Medicinal Cannabis permeating our everyday lives, including our working lives. It is an interesting piece but also a bizdev exercise that deserves a swift rebuttal from Drive Change alongside some […]

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Roundtable

Announcing the Drive Change Roundtable for Government Officials

As you may have seen, we’ve been encouraging the cannabis community to write letters to local members of Parliament. A major part of that campaign is to drive local MPs to the upcoming Drive Change Roundtable for Government officials. What is the Roundtable? This Roundtable will serve as a platform to address the discriminatory drug […]

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THC in Blood and Saliva Not Indicative of Impairment, Studies Say

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 […]

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These Two Bills Could Be Crucial for the Future of Medicinal Cannabis

Last year, we saw our ambassador Cate Faehrmann call on officials to throw out all the roadside drug tests in Nimbin during Mardi Grass weekend, citing contamination. Now, she’s taking an even bigger swing at the unjust drug driving laws with the introduction of two new bills, and one of them may help us see […]

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frequently asked questions

Answering Cannabis Law FAQ

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 […]

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doctor types at the computer

Dr Teresa Towpik: “Ignorance Isn’t Bliss, Knowledge Is.”

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 […]

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For Blake, Queensland Drug Driving Laws are Unreasonable

Blake is sharing his experience as part of our “Personal Stories” series, which invites 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 It’s time that medicinal cannabis patients in Queensland are given driving […]

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cannabis and driving ajgp tom arkell cover

Scientific Research: Cannabis Vs Other Drugs & Driving

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 […]

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drive change public submission national transport commission blog cover

Drive Change Submission to NTC: Assessing Fitness to Drive

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 […]

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An update on the VIC Medicinal Cannabis Patients and Driving Working Group

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 […]

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drive change roadside drug testing does not reduce road trauma cover

The Truth: Roadside Drug Testing Doesn’t Reduce Road Trauma

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.  […]

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debbie medicinal cannabis patient quote supporting drive change - blog

THC improved my life; now, these unjust laws are hurting me.

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 […]

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Drive Change honoured to have presented to AMCA board on 4/20

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 […]

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reasons why cannabis and driving laws wrong cover

8 Problems With Current Drug Driving Laws & Medicinal Cannabis

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 […]

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greens tammy franks sa mlc joins drive change drug driving campaign

SA Greens MLC Tammy Franks Joins The Drive Change Movement

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 […]

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Choose your words to drive change

How to argue with those who support drug driving testing

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 […]

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south australian parliament drive change article by hypnotiseme flickr

Tammy Franks Invites Drive Change Team To South Australian Parliament

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 […]

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