Driving Legislation Fails To Account For Medical Cannabis Legalization, A Report Finds

The Cannabis Industry Council (CIC) calls for an urgent review of driving legislation in response to the legalization of medical cannabis.

According to the CIC, current driving legislation is deemed potentially discriminatory and outdated.

About The Report

The report titled 'Cannabis & Driving' highlights the need for updated guidelines following the legalization of medical cannabis in 2018. The Road Traffic Act 1988 places cannabis on the 'zero tolerance' list, with a legal limit of two micrograms per liter of blood, reported Business Of Cannabis.

Blood and saliva tests are found to be inconsistent markers of impairment as cannabis can remain in the body for up to 30 days, per the report.

Call For Review

The CIC urges the government to urgently review the Road Traffic Act to protect the rights of medical cannabis patients.

Report author Frances Crewdson from Ananda Developments expresses concern over the risks faced by vulnerable patients due to outdated legislation.

Standardizing medical cannabis and driving guidelines to focus on impairment is proposed, rather than the current threshold limit for illegal drugs.

The Field Impairment Test (FIT) is recommended as a reliable method to identify impairment, considering the inconsistent markers of THC concentration.

See Also:  Researchers Make Progress Toward Tricky Job Of Analyzing THC Levels In Breath Of Cannabis Smokers

Key Recommendations to Enhance Safety and Protect Medical Cannabis Patients' Rights

The report details six crucial recommendations to address the existing inconsistencies in driving laws:

• Standardise guidelines to focus on impairment rather than the threshold limit.
• Utilize the Field Impairment Test (FIT) for identifying impairment.
• Implement standardized driving warnings on medical cannabis product labels.
• Improve communication and awareness of statutory rights among medical cannabis patients.
• Enhance law enforcement training on medical cannabis legalization and patients' rights.
• Strengthen safe driving communication with medical cannabis prescribers.

Chair of the CIC Standards Working Group, Elisabetta Faenza, acknowledges the complexity faced by medical cannabis patients who need to drive.

The CIC plans to work with industry partners to develop guidance and support for patients and prescribers.

Contributions from notable individuals have shaped the report which emphasizes the need for immediate action to address the discriminatory nature of current driving legislation, ensuring road safety and protecting the rights of MMJ patients.

Simultaneous Efforts 

A recent report conducted by the American Transportation Research Institute highlighted the impact of marijuana legalization on the trucking industry, emphasizing the importance of addressing highway safety, cannabis use, and workforce implications.

With industry leaders such as Uber Technologies Inc. UBER advocating for safe and accessible delivery options, there is growing recognition of the need to prioritize road safety and reduce impaired driving incidents in the evolving landscape of cannabis legalization.

"One in seven cannabis users have admitted to driving under the influence, and we believe that with safe and affordable delivery options that can help combat it, that's a huge downstream impact," said Jesse Young, the Global Lead of New Ventures from Uber, at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Miami.

Next: How Does Cannabis Legalization Affect Impaired Driving Rates? This New Study Might Surprise You

Photo: Courtesy Of Elsa Olofsson On Unsplash