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World-First for Drivers Who Use Medicinal Cannabis
The bill would let registered patients keep driving after low roadside THC results while preserving fines, suspensions and court action for higher readings.
- On Thursday, New South Wales announced reforms allowing registered medicinal cannabis patients to drive if they return a roadside THC result below 50 ng/mL, ending automatic license suspensions for those not impaired.
- With over 300,000 medicinal cannabis users across NSW, the government aims to rectify a system that previously forced patients to choose between following medical advice and keeping their driver's licenses.
- The program requires drivers to register with Transport for NSW and complete an online education program; a three-strike system imposes a $704 fine and minimum three-month suspension for higher readings.
- Premier Chris Minns defended the move as a "common-sense" approach, though NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane and the NRMA expressed concerns about measuring impairment at roadside.
- Western Australia is considering a similar medical defense model, with Police Minister Reece Whitby examining the New South Wales framework to determine the best approach for his state.
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14 Articles
14 Articles
Sydney Morning Herald+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
Could WA follow in NSW’s footsteps on medical cannabis laws for drivers?
Drivers in NSW who have lawful cannabis prescriptions will have a medical defence and be subject to a three-strike impairment test under new reforms. Advocates want a similar system in WA.
·North Sydney, Australia
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Australian State to End Automatic Licence Loss for Medical Cannabis Drivers
Australia’s New South Wales has moved to end the automatic penalisation of medicinal cannabis patients caught driving with THC in their system, introducing a registration and threshold-based framework that leaves most of Australia’s one million cannabis patients still without equivalent protection. The Minns Labor Government announced the reform on 4 June 2026, with legislation to be introduced in the final sitting week of June. Under the propo…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources14
Leaning Left7Leaning Right1Center1Last UpdatedBias Distribution78% Left
Bias Distribution
- 78% of the sources lean Left
78% Left
L 78%
11%
11%
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