Why is the government keeping our cannabis driving research hidden from public view
Dr Brian Walker questions the government on the status of taxpayer-funded THC driving reform research, highlighting a concerning lack of transparency for Western Australians.
A prescription trapped in red tape
In my years as a GP, I have seen many medical breakthroughs hampered by administrative inertia. It is a familiar, sinking feeling when patients are forced to wait indefinitely while the tools that could give them back their lives are kept just out of reach by bureaucracy. Today, we are seeing this same pattern with our driving laws and medical cannabis. My patients are law-abiding citizens who rely on prescribed medication to manage pain and chronic illness. Yet, they live in constant fear that a trace of their medicine will turn them into criminals on our roads.
The research we all paid for
We know that sensible reform is possible. We know that other jurisdictions are looking for ways to modernise their own laws. It would make logical sense for our state to share the findings of the ministerial working group regarding THC driving reform. This is data that the people of Western Australia funded. It should be transparent, accessible, and ready for public scrutiny. Instead, the government offers us a blank stare. When I asked if they had shared these findings or if they would commit to showing them to our own citizens first, the answer was silence. No requests. No commitments. Nothing.
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Ignoring the evidence
The danger is not just a policy delay. It is the real-world consequence for families who are choosing between their health and their ability to get to work. While the major parties play politics, those of us who believe in evidence-based policy are left waiting for a government that seems content to bury the status quo. Treating this research like a state secret does not protect anyone. It only deepens the frustration and uncertainty for thousands of patients who deserve clarity. You can read the full details from the House here. If you are tired of the old ways of doing things, please join Legalise Cannabis WA as we continue to push for progress based on science rather than fear.
