Cannabis causes fatal collision

The Victorian Coroners Court has heard evidence that cannabis caused the death of seven people in a horror crash in North West Victoria.

Five adults and two young children died when a sedan smashed into a van traveling in the opposite direction in September 2006.

Police informed the Coroner that the driver of the sedan, who was killed in the crash, had been smoking cannabis in the hour before the crash.

The police of the Major Collision Investigation Unit informed the Coroner that the collision was caused by the driver of the sedan due to the level of THC in his blood.

The crash caused an inferno engulfing both vehicles.

(Source: AAP News Service, 6 August 2007)

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-

This is the latest evidence that cannabis causes road crashes by impairing the motor skills of drivers.

Random illicit drug tests are a good way to identify cannabis users.

This latest cannabis related road death confirms why Australian federal, state and territory governments must divert cannabis users into detoxification and rehabilitation to get the users off cannabis.

The detoxification and rehabilitation costs are a good investment when compared against the cost of crashes and the lives of five adults and two children.

Reducing the number of cannabis users in the community reduces the funds being provided to cannabis pushers and reduces the demand for cannabis.