A WA parliamentary question seeks a breakdown of positive drug test results from roadside testing in Geraldton, Kalbarri, and Carnarvon, including medicinal cannabis use. The Minister was unable to provide a full response within the timeframe but provided data for Phase 3 testing.

AnsweredQoN 591Legislative Council
Asked
9 August 2022
Portfolio
Police

QuestionView source ↗

POLICE — DRUG TESTING
591. Hon
Dr BRIAN WALKER to the minister representing the Minister for Police:
I refer to an article in the Geraldton
Guardian , dated Tuesday 19 July, which suggested that recent roadside
testing undertaken by the Western Australia Police Force across Geraldton,
Kalbarri and Carnarvon has resulted in almost a quarter of those tested—23.5
per cent—returning positive results for drugs of one type of another.
(1) Is the minister able to provide a breakdown of the
positive results obtained, by drug type—that is, cannabis ,
methamphetamine, alcohol and/or other specific drugs?
(2) Is he able to
say at this stage whether any of those who tested positive for cannabis cite
medicinal prescription as the reason for their result?
(3) Can the
minister confirm whether phase 3 of this targeted testing drive, as referenced
in the article, has commenced; if it has, are any additional figures now
available, and can those be shared with the house?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for some notice of this
question. The following information has been provided to me by the Minister for
Police.
The Western Australia Police Force advises —
(1)–(2)
A response to this question cannot be provided within the required time frame.
The honourable member may wish to place the question on notice.
(3) Phase 3
has been completed—6 197 random breath tests were conducted, with 19
testing positive for alcohol, and 160 drug tests were conducted, with 27
testing positive.

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