by Sahar Foladi
A former Greater Dandenong mayor could be part of a “world’s-first” medicinal cannabis drive trial.
The State Government’s $4.9 million trial to be completed over 18-months is said to commence soon by Swinburne University of Technology to assess prescribed medicinal cannabis effects on people behind the wheel.
Roz Blades welcomed the announcement as a driving force in lifting the driving ban for those on medicinal cannabis.
“This is a whole Government issue that relates to health, safety on the road and public transport.
“If you cannot drive how do you get anywhere? Either you’re on the road illegally or you’re on the road in pain.”
She’s in her fourth year of using medicinal cannabis oil, cannabidiol (CBD) to manage her intense chronic pain of more than 50 years, ticking the participant requirement of minimum six-months of medicinal cannabis prescription.
“I’m in a lot of pain 24/7 but I’m able to manage my pain with the CBD. I have bit more of a life than I had before.
“Chronic pain is a very complicated issue and if there’s a way to simplify it where people can get easier treatment and it doesn’t impact their life, it’ll be terrific.”
According to letter from Local Government MP Melissa Horne’s office to Ms Blades in October 2023, she will be considered as a participant once research methodology and participant sampling are confirmed.
The trial is said to include pre and post-drive drug impairment screenings.
Despite the fact that her CBD oil is largely without THC (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the psychoactive ingredient, trace elements of THC can still be detected in roadside drug tests leading to driver’s license suspension and monetary fine.
Although Victoria was the first to approve of medicinal cannabis in 2016, it has zero tolerance of any amount of THC in a person’s system behind the wheel, forcing many like Ms Blades to choose between their independence or live a life of pain.
“It’s a wider issue of independence, as well as that living in chronic pain you live on a different level to other people, your life is not the same.
“My retired husband drives me to my medical appointments in the city, Brighton and afar but that wasn’t always the case 20 years ago,” Ms Blades said.
“We had three children, he was working and I spent my life in the workforce in chronic pain, I was the mayor of Greater Dandenong in chronic pain.”
The “closed circuit track” trial will mimic real-world driving conditions as researchers review the participants’ ability to manage distractions and assess their driving performance including steering, braking and speed control.
However, Ms Blades is fearful that participants’ time away from driving may have an impact on the overall results of the trial.
“I’m just a bit concerned that people would do this test and they’ll be asked to be as competent as others driving regularly.
“The personal and health factors need to be taken into consideration. It’s not just about driving.”
She has written to Swinburne Drugs and Driving Research Unit’s lead researcher Professor Luke Downey on the matter urging him to take the multiple factors into consideration.
Alongside the trial, the Government is working with medical professionals to create resources that help doctors consider their patients’ driving needs when prescribing medicinal cannabis.
Road safety outcomes in other countries will also be reviewed to ensure Victoria has access to the latest information and data on medicinal cannabis and driving.
While the trial is welcomed, the Premier was criticised by Legalise Cannabis MPs David Ettershank MP and Rachel Payne MP for “intentionally stalling” a decision.
“In 2023, Dan Andrews promised an answer ‘in coming months’ followed by a guarantee to have it fixed by 2024. Now, with a new Premier, it’s mid-2026 at best. She’s in the slow lane,” Ms Payne said.
“How many times will this government betray patients when it comes just giving an answer on medical cannabis driving?”
Although the trial completion will be stretched, this is not a major concern for the likes of Ms Blade who is grateful to even use medicinal cannabis.
“I would prefer it to have been sooner but it’s being done by proper authority, properly funded, it’s the first one so we’re lucky.
“In any other state other than Tasmania, I wouldn’t have been able to get medical marijuana so I’m lucky that we have a government that allows it in the first place.”
Prior to CBD, Ms Blades drove while on “unsuitable medication” such as Gabapentin and opioids and suffered side-effects of brain fog, dizziness and incoherence.
“The only thing that keeps my chronic pain at bay, prevents me from driving. And that’s what I want to say to the Government, look at all the aspects and don’t just look at the driving bit.”
Legalise Cannabis MP Mr Ettershank said med-can consumers run a risk of losing their license yet there’s been no tests on other medications like barbiturates or opioids or even cocaine.
“The Premier is playing politics. She’s discriminating against responsible Victorians prescribed med-can, by kicking the ‘research’ can down the road,” he said.
Ms Blades is well known in the Greater Dandenong community for helping the needy, her vast community service and a passion for better public transport services during her time on council which came to a sudden end due to her health conditions in October 2019.
According to a National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) report, an increasing amount of people are accessing medicinal cannabis with prescription, only pressing the need for the drive trial.
In 2022–2023, three per cent of people in Australia had used cannabis for medical purposes in the previous 12 months, equating to around 700,000 people, according to the report.
