Legalise Cannabis Victoria's push to overhaul the state's drug-driving laws has gained significant momentum after Premier Daniel Andrews publicly indicated his support for the change.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Andrews described the matter as a government priority.
"In terms of drug-law reform, the issue that I'm… focused on is those Victorians – and there can be as many as 200,000 – who are currently using medicinal cannabis with a script from a doctor and they cannot drive," he said.
"That's an issue that's bedevilled us. We need to find a way through that."
The previous month, Legalise Cannabis Victoria (LCV) introduced a bill that would ensure prescribed medicinal cannabis that does not impair a person's driving is treated on the same basis as other prescription medications. The bill is scheduled to be debated the following week, on Wednesday March 8.
Andrews said patients should not have to choose between managing their pain or other symptoms and keeping their driving licence.
"I don't want them to feel they can't access that care because we don't have [updated] drug-driving laws and we don't have a test… for impairment," he said.
"You're either positive [to THC] or negative. It's a binary thing when you may not be impaired at all. So we're working through that."
LCV MP David Ettershank responded positively to the premier's comments.
"Legalise Cannabis Victoria is currently having discussions with a number of government ministers about this and other questions," he told The Age.
