CANNABIS AND AUSTRALIAN DRIVING

The Office of Road Safety says "...there is no evidence relaxing cannabis
laws will lead to more people driving under the influence or have a
negative impact on road safety".

How does it explain the research from the Victorian road safety body,
Vicroads, that found the following:

* 58 per cent of the research participants indicated that they believed
that cannabis does affect their driving ability. * 80 per cent of these
stated that cannabis did have a negative effect on their driving ability,
such as slowed reaction, paranoia, confusion, forgetfulness, reduced
alertness, easily frightened, etc. * 85 per cent of the participants
stated that cannabis with alcohol did affect their driving ability * Most
of the participants indicated that while under the influence of both
alcohol and cannabis, their poor driving performance was attributable to
the alcohol and not the cannabis. They gave no regard to the combined
effects of the alcohol and cannabis.

And what of the NSW data on road traffic deaths for 1995-98 showing that
cannabis intoxication alone (excluding alcohol and other drugs) was found
to be responsible for 4.3 per cent of driver fatalities?

To suggest that the two plants per premises limit is not a public safety
issue ignores evidence that is already available. It seems to me that, if
this Bill is passed the State Government will have the added responsibility
to safeguard the public from drivers who are not only alcohol intoxicated
but also cannabis intoxicated.

Surely the State Government should delay passage of the Bill until
effective measures to prevent driving under the influence of cannabis are
in place.

ROBERT HICKS, Goldfields, Community Drug Summit Delegate.