Chief Magistrate Says Persons Should Not Seek A Medical Cannabis Card While Undergoing Court Ordered Drug Testing

By Alric Lindsay

A man on a probation order that requires him to submit to random drug testing drew a sharp rebuke from the Chief Magistrate in Summary Court today, August 11, 2026, after it emerged that the man obtained a medical cannabis card while still serving his sentence.

Malik Copeland was before the court for a review of a probation order made on September 10, 2025, under which he was required to undergo random drug testing (urine analysis) and counselling. The court heard that he had repeatedly tested positive from late September through November, had missed a number of scheduled tests, and had tested negative only once. The Chief Magistrate observed that, having been warned, any breach would result in resentencing — “It’s not a fine,” she said.

The probation officer asked for a further four weeks to provide an update, telling the court suggesting that Copeland had had “a change of heart,” had begun re-engaging with the counselling centre, and had now obtained a medical cannabis card.

The Chief Magistrate’s response was immediate. A medical cannabis card, she said, cannot be obtained during a sentence when urine testing is part of the probation conditions: “A medical cannabis card cannot happen during his sentence when… testing is part of his conditions… That is flaunting everything in the face of the court.” The whole point of random testing, she stressed, was that it required him to be clean — and a person on such conditions should not be seeking a medical cannabis card during the testing period.

The matter was adjourned to October 13 for a progress update.