Imogen Kars relies on medical cannabis to lessen the pain and suffering brought on by her chronic disease and handicap, but she worries that using it while driving could land her in legal trouble. The 27-year-old from Queensland takes cannabis as prescribed to treat her rheumatoid arthritis and cerebral hypertension. Kars said that her hands and joints’ discomfort, stiffness and edema would prevent her from continuing her copywriting career without medical cannabis.
The main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis is THC, which can be identified in a saliva test at a traffic stop for up to 12 hours after use, even when users are no longer experiencing the effects of the drug.
Several Australian jurisdictions are revisiting their legislation regarding medical marijuana on the roads, including Queensland and Victoria. Kars supports the reform, stating that she fears she might lose her license or be charged with a crime if she fails the drug test.
Victoria is leading the way in legislative discussions on reforming the current drug-driving laws and recently came up with the Road Safety Amendment (Medical Marijuana) legislation for 2023. Authorities are reviewing the current laws and considering any necessary amendments.
Jake Campbell, a student in Victoria, received a prescription for medical marijuana to treat the discomfort from his stage 3 testicular cancer. However, he stopped using the substance because he was worried about getting caught breaking the law. Campbell argued that Victoria’s drug driving regulations should provide for some flexibility or a legal limit for blood THC levels, as there is for alcohol. According to him, the current laws are insufficient.
Ben Watson, a lawyer in Victoria, has defended several individuals who have been punished for failing drug tests administered at traffic stops. Several of his clients were using medical marijuana for chronic pain and cancer treatment. According to him, it has resulted in infringement notifications and occasionally court appearances. There isn’t any defense at the moment.
Watson wants the laws governing drugged driving to be amended so that those who are given medical marijuana are regarded the same as those who are taking other medications. A person should be permitted to operate a motor vehicle while having the medication in their system, he added, so long as they are not impaired.
According to Watson, many of his clients were not accused of operating a vehicle recklessly or dangerously while under the influence of drugs. He explained that the fact that it had been found in their oral fluid was deemed sufficient justification for charging them with violating the drug driving laws.
As more people turn to using marijuana for medicinal purposes, it is becoming increasingly clear why entities such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are looking to formulate pharmaceutical-grade therapeutics from this plant so that patients can access those approved medicines to address their different needs without having to worry about facing legal repercussions for taking their medicine.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/IGC
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