Swinburne leads world-first medical cannabis driving trial

Trial to replicate real-world driving conditions

Funded by a $4.9 million allocation from the Victorian Budget 2024/25, the historic trial will span across 18-months.

The study will replicate real-world driving conditions on a closed-circuit track, while researchers assess participants' handling of distractions and driving performance, including steering, braking, and speed control.

Swinburne researcher Dr Thomas Arkell says it's important to finally test how medical cannabis effects driving in a real-life scenario.

"When it comes to making policy decisions, you need to know that evidence is robust and applicable as it can be to a real-world environment," he said.

“We know very little about medical cannabis. We have quite a bit of research looking at cannabis generally, but we’re looking at the same plant and compound used for very different reasons and in very different amounts.”

To qualify, participants must have been prescribed medicinal cannabis for sleep disorders, chronic pain, or mental health conditions for at least six months. Eligible participants will then undergo comprehensive pre and post-drive drug impairment screenings.