Cannabis And Driving

Cannabis makes it more difficult to drive safely, especially when used with alcohol. It is illegal to drive under the influence of illicit drugs, including cannabis. If you break this law you could lose your licence for a set time, or be fined or sent to prison.

Since January 2007, police have been conducting random roadside drug testing, and can give any driver a roadside oral drug test. In NSW, if you test positive, you won’t be charged immediately but you will be prohibited from driving for 24 hours. The sample will be sent to a laboratory and if it tests positive to cannabis or other drugs, you will be charged to appear in court.

Even where random roadside drug testing is not being carried out, if a police officer suspects you have used drugs you could be arrested and taken to a hospital for a blood and urine test. The samples will be sent to a laboratory and if they test positive for cannabis or any other drug (including prescribed drugs), NSW Police will determine whether your driving would have been impaired by your drug use.

You will then be charged accordingly.

Anyone under the influence of cannabis, who kills or injures another person while driving a motor vehicle, can be sentenced to a term in prison.

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