Chris Minns is taking an uncharacteristic risk with new drug driving laws

June 11, 2026 — 5:00am

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When someone I know began undergoing chemotherapy treatment after a bowel cancer diagnosis a few years ago, they were swamped by friends dropping off care packages: frozen meals, books, comfortable socks, and a significant quantity of illicit marijuana.

The cannabis came in various guises, but probably the most useful was a jar of weed-infused honey. A teaspoon stirred into a cup of tea had the effect of dampening the nausea caused by the chemo and helped them sleep.

But the relief was tempered by inconvenience. It meant not being able to drive themselves to oncologist appointments the next day, for example.

They never bothered getting a prescription. The strange, quasi-legal status of cannabis in Australia meant that while they were eligible to take it with a doctor’s consent, there was basically no point. Unless the police broke down the door and raided the pantry they weren’t going to get caught, and a prescription wouldn’t have helped with driving.

Which gets to the problem the NSW government’s proposed changes to drug driving laws grapples with. The strange, quasi-legal status of cannabis, coupled with, let’s be honest, its widespread use among some subsections of the population, means our road laws have not kept up with reality.

Last week, Premier Chris Minns announced a significant overhaul of driving rules in NSW to address........

© The Sydney Morning Herald