Evidence based road safety requires transparency not government silence

The silence behind the closed doors

In my years as a GP, I have learned that the best way to treat a patient is through clear communication and accurate data. When we face a health crisis, we do not guess. We look at the evidence. We analyse the symptoms. We formulate a plan that is grounded in reality. Yet, when it comes to the complex intersection of medicinal cannabis and road safety, the government seems content to operate in the dark.

I recently stood in the Legislative Council to ask a simple, logical set of questions. I wanted to know if the government had examined road safety statistics from the Australian Capital Territory during their transition to a more sensible cannabis policy. I asked for data. I asked for transparency. I asked for the facts that should underpin any serious discussion on reform. The answer from the government was brief and disappointing: the relevant report remains under consideration.

The danger of bureaucratic delays

This is not merely a matter of administrative preference. This is a waiting room where patients face profound anxiety. Every day that we delay evidence-based reform, we leave medicinal cannabis patients in a state of fear. They worry about the legality of their medication and the potential loss of their licences. This anxiety is real. It is a weight that rests heavily on the shoulders of people who are simply trying to manage their health.

If you value the intersection of science and policy, I encourage you to see more of my work by subscribing to my YouTube channel. We explore these issues with the depth they deserve.

Seeking the truth for our community

We are a tribe of forward-thinkers. We know that the status quo is not always the safest path. True safety is found in intelligence and understanding, not in stubborn adherence to outdated regulations that fail to distinguish between legitimate medicine and dangerous impairment. The evidence was there to be looked at. The government chose to ignore it for now. We deserve to know what is being considered in that working group. We deserve to know when these reforms will finally arrive.

It is exhausting to watch such critical work stalled by silence. While major parties play politics, we keep pushing for a system that puts people before rigid bureaucracy. You can review the details of my questions in the official record of the House. If you believe, as I do, that our laws should reflect the best available science, please join the movement for a more progressive Western Australia by signing up with Legalise Cannabis WA today.