Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is for Mr Herbert, representing the Minister for Police. The Premier, Daniel Andrews, said that yesterday was one of the proudest days of his political career as he was able to take on board the recommendations of the Victorian Law Reform Commission report into medicinal cannabis and announce that Victoria would move to legalise medicinal cannabis for people suffering a range of serious illnesses. Only months ago I asked the government to stop pursuing criminal convictions against those using or possessing cannabis for medicinal purposes while the Victorian Law Reform Commission was considering its report. Legalising medicinal cannabis was an election promise anyway, and it was unfair to continue to prosecute people who were helping to push this whole issue to a head.
In light of the Premier’s announcement yesterday I ask again: given that the government has now moved to legalise cannabis for medicinal purposes, will it stop pursuing criminal convictions against those administering or using cannabis products — for themselves or their children — to alleviate their suffering until this legislation has passed?
I thank the minister for his answer. Medical cannabis is to become a prescribed drug alongside Zoloft, OxyContin and Mogadon. Given that we do not currently have a roadside impairment test for prescription drugs — the drugs which we now know are killing Victorians at rates higher than any illicit substances — will the government ensure that it will look to create a measurement for tetrahydrocannabinol blood content so that people who are using cannabis products for a range of medical conditions will know how much of their medicine they can consume and still be able to operate a vehicle?
