A Tasmanian MP sentenced for drug-driving has thrown his support behind a petition calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the state’s cannabis laws, saying the current system is causing “unnecessary suffering”.
Braddon MP Craig Garland was fined $1,096 and disqualified from driving for six months on Monday after pleading guilty to driving with cannabis in his system.
The offence occurred during a roadside stop in Smithton in November 2024.
Garland said his driving was “not impaired” at the time and that he now holds a prescription for medicinal cannabis to manage chronic pain.
“I know I did the wrong thing and I’m not making any excuses for it,” he said in a statement following his court appearance.
But Garland said the case had opened his eyes to wider problems with Tasmania’s cannabis regulations.
“Over the past few months because of public awareness of my charge, I’ve been approached by many members of the public with their stories,” he said.
“The common view from those I’ve heard from is that we need to a good hard look at how we are regulating cannabis in Tasmania and the impacts of this punitive approach.”
The e-petition, which Garland is sponsoring, has gathered more than 200 signatures since being posted on Monday.
It calls for a parliamentary inquiry into cannabis regulation, including the “impact and effectiveness of the criminal justice response”.
The petition argues that Tasmanians prescribed medicinal cannabis face “unreasonable barriers” such as high costs, unreliable supply and prosecution under driving laws that make no distinction between impairment and the presence of prescribed medication.
“This inequity denies many Tasmanians safe and affordable access to the medicine they require,” the petition states.
Garland said the prosecution of people with interstate prescriptions was particularly absurd.
“The government needs to look at this,” he said. “They’ve started that process already to fix up this absurdity.”
He also pointed to a Roy Morgan poll published earlier this year showing 52% of Tasmanians support cannabis legalisation, while 36% are opposed.
However, the petition stops short of calling for full legalisation.
Instead, it seeks an inquiry similar to one recently held in New South Wales, looking at the social, economic and public health impacts of current laws, along with national and international comparisons.
“If there is going to be reform – and I hope there is – I recognise that it needs to be done carefully and the community need to be involved,” Garland said.
