Medicinal cannabis and driving resources for health professionals

Fitness to drive is an important consideration in the clinical care of patients. This includes considering the impact of the patient’s medical condition(s) as well as any potential impairment associated with treatment.

Decision support resource for health practitioners

Download the decision support resource (PDF).

For medicinal cannabis there's an additional consideration as, under the current Victorian drug driving laws, it's an offence for a person:

• to drive with any detectable amount of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9 THC*) in their system
• to drive when impaired by any substance.

The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) is actively encouraging drivers to discuss the implications of medicinal cannabis treatment on driving with their medical practitioner. This means health professionals are likely to be asked by a patient: “Can I drive while taking medicinal cannabis?” 

More information and answers to frequently asked questions about medicinal cannabis can be found at medicinal cannabis and driving.

* ∆9 THC is the main psychoactive component in cannabis but there are a number of other types that may be present. For the purposes of this fact sheet, the term THC is used when referring to ∆9 THC.

Resources to support patient conversations 

Our medicinal cannabis and driving decision support resource (PDF) and driving needs checklist (PDF) can assist health professionals in addressing a patient’s driving risk when considering medicinal cannabis as a treatment option.

Our medicinal cannabis and driving fact sheet can be provided to patients to explain the current drug-driving laws and the impairing effects of medicinal cannabis.

Our medicinal cannabis and driving poster can be used in waiting rooms or other points of care to encourage practitioner/patient conversations and direct patients to the factsheet.