NSW introduces the Medical Cannabis and Driving Offences Bill 2026
The NSW Government introduced the Road Transport Legislation Amendment (Medical Cannabis and Driving Offences) Bill 2026 to Parliament in late June 2026.
What the Bill proposes: a voluntary registration scheme run by Transport for NSW. Registered patients must hold a valid prescription, provide evidence of it, and complete an online education program about cannabis and driving safety. A registered driver's first and second THC detections draw a warning letter rather than penalties; a third detection within two years is an offence with penalties including licence loss.
Who misses out: learner, provisional and commercial drivers are excluded — unrestricted NSW licence holders only. Any alcohol or other drugs in the sample, or any sign of impairment, takes a driver outside the scheme's protection entirely. Roadside testing and THC detection thresholds do not change.
What it means right now: nothing. The Bill is not law. The strict presence offence under section 111 of the Road Transport Act 2013 continues to apply in full, and a Bill before Parliament is not a defence to a current charge.
We'll post again when the Bill passes a house, passes Parliament, and — the date that actually matters — when the scheme commences. Full plain-English breakdown: see our guide to the NSW registration scheme.