NSW Government Defers Medicinal Cannabis Driving Defence
- Cannabis Club Australia
- Oct 28
- 1 min read
The NSW Government has released its long-awaited response to last year’s Drug Summit, accepting 50 of the 56 recommendations - but holding back on one of the most critical issues for medical cannabis patients: a legal defence for drivers who test positive while using prescribed cannabis.
Health Minister Ryan Park confirmed the government will delay any decision on a driving defence until receiving further advice from an interagency working group later this year.
Police Minister Yasmin Catley described the issue as “extremely complex,” stressing the need to balance road safety with fairness for legitimate patients.
The decision leaves thousands of medical cannabis users - like Shun Thangaturai, who lost his job after testing positive despite taking prescribed medicine more than 48 hours earlier - in legal limbo. “There’s fear and anxiety,” he said, calling for laws that distinguish between medical and recreational use.
While the government backed a new 10-year alcohol and drug strategy and several harm-minimisation reforms, it rejected calls for additional supervised injecting centres and for police to end sniffer dog and strip search practices at music festivals.
Critics, including the NSW Greens and Uniting NSW/ACT, accused the government of “squandering a historic opportunity” for real drug reform, while health advocates like the Ted Noffs Foundation welcomed the focus on evidence-based policy.
👉 Read the full story: abc.net.au/news/2025-10-28/nsw-government-drug-summit-response-cannabis/105941584
