The West Australian government has accepted 11 of 16 recommendations put forward by the state's Select Committee into Cannabis and Hemp, though it continues to move slowly on reforming drug-driving laws.
The government agreed to form a working group to examine 'reasonable amendments' to the road traffic act, but urged against 'knee-jerk changes' to rules around driving.
A government spokeswoman said: "We want to be very clear that this government would never support any amendment which would allow a person to drive while impaired."
Even so, she acknowledged that "other Australian jurisdictions are progressing amendments to enable a defence for people using medicinal cannabis, as prescribed, to drive while unimpaired and Tasmania already has these provisions in place".
Legalise Cannabis MP and select committee chair Dr Brian Walker offered a measured welcome to the government's response.
He said: "The politically correct response is that I'm happy that they are taking this seriously. As a medical practitioner, as well as a politician, I'm sad they are not taking more immediate action."
Among the committee's recommendations that the government committed to acting on were updating workplace drug-testing guidance for employers, removing the requirement for doctors to hold special authorisation before prescribing schedule eight medicinal cannabis, and recognising interstate prescriptions in WA.
The government also committed to reviewing daily THC prescribing limits and examining whether a medicinal cannabis advisory service would be feasible.
The official response was tabled in parliament on Tuesday. Dr Walker said he was pleased the government had broadly backed the committee's recommendations.
