Calls for changes to workplace and traffic laws to allow medicinal cannabis

Aussies who have been legally prescribed medicinal cannabis have revealed how using it is impacting their livelihoods and costing them jobs.

EXCLUSIVE

People legally using medicinal cannabis are being refused jobs in the transport, government and mining sectors — and risk drug driving penalties — because they will fail a drug test.

Advocacy group Pain Australia is calling for traffic and workplace laws to be changed to catch up with the fact cannabis was no longer illegal when used as a medicine.

The stigma surrounding the use of the drug for chronic pain is “like mental health was 20 years ago”, Pain Australia CEO Giulia Jones said.

“We really need to attack the stigma and get people the treatments that they need that work for them,” Ms Jones said.

A new survey conducted by online medical cannabis prescription service Montu found more than four in 10 people on medicinal cannabis feared losing their job. A similar number (43 per cent) felt discriminated against for using the drug.

This is despite nine in 10 respondents saying it had improved their quality of life.

According to the TGA’s Special Access Scheme data, more than 330,000 Australians are using medicinal cannabis — 56 per cent of them to manage chronic pain.

People legally using medicinal cannabis are being refused jobs in certain sectors.

The Victorian parliament this week debated a private members bill that would make it legal for drivers to use medicinal cannabis.

Dr Phil Burrell, a specialist general practitioner with more than 40 years of experience, supervises about 1000 patients using medicinal cannabis and said they faced prejudice.

“I’ve had patients sent home while we clarified it (medicinal cannabis use) for the employer who had to get some protection, about them driving forklifts,” Dr Burrell said.

He said a medicinal cannabis patient he knew lost his job a week after appearing in a media report about the drug.

Numerous research papers showed low doses of cannabis did not impair driving five hours after it was used but drug swabs used in roadside testing by police can pick up cannabis traces up to 12 days since it was used.

Christopher Strauch founder of Montu which runs telehealth medicinal cannabis prescription service Alternaleaf.

Christopher Strauch, who runs the website Alternaleaf that provides patients with access to 50 specialist doctors prescribing the medicinal cannabis via telehealth, said education was critical.

“We’re changing habits and understanding of medication that was considered as an illicit drug for the last many decades,” he said.

Historically traffic and workplace laws were designed to prevent people from consuming cannabis, he said.

The stigma against people using the medication is so strong none of the three people using the drug that we interviewed would agree to have their names or photos published.

NSW tradesman Andrew “runs the gauntlet every day” and is at risk of losing his licence and his ability to work because he uses medicinal cannabis to control a constant crushing pain in his back caused by a severe workplace injury.

His use of the drug has also cost him work contracts.

“I actually know of a couple of people that have left work in the mines because they’ll do random drug tests. I wouldn’t even apply because if you fail three, that’s it, you won’t get a job back there again,” he said.

There is stigma against people using medicinal cannabis. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

When he has applied for government contract jobs requiring him to take a drug test and he has explained his medicinal cannabis use, the employer decided not to offer him the job.

A 24-year-old Queensland student who broke almost every bone in his body in a motorcycle accident and suffered brain damage and epilepsy said medicinal cannabis saved his life.

The cocktail of conventional medications including fentanyl he was given by doctors after the accident saw his weight balloon to more than 112 kilograms — and he was depressed and anxious.

After ditching conventional medications for medicinal cannabis, he’s shed 30kg and is now finishing a TAFE course.

“I gained about 40 kilos from taking those (conventional) medications. I was getting more angry and more depressed and I’m much happier now, without seizures,” he said.