Drug reform law should not make roads more dangerous

June 5, 2026 — 5:00am

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The Therapeutic Goods Administration’s approval of medically prescribed cannabis has resulted in huge societal evolution over the past decade.

An estimated one million Australians now use the medicine, about a third of them living in NSW. There are legitimate concerns that some patients are obtaining cannabis prescriptions for recreational purposes, but others are using it in good faith. And many of those have undoubtedly been forced to choose between pain relief and driving because the rules governing roadside drug tests remained stoically unchanged.

Premier Chris Minns has moved to end the Hobson’s choice. He announced major roadside safety reforms offering drivers with lawful cannabis prescriptions a medical defence: if drivers........

© The Sydney Morning Herald