Drug-driving test on the cards

dominic said:
likewise

not going to be simple to do though
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If the test kit is well designed for ease of use, and the Metro officials are suitably trained, it shouldn't be a problem, particularly if they target only Marijuana and Tik.

Since the testing is much the same as for alcohol, there shouldn't be too much of a legal issue, should there?

I suppose one issue that would have to be established is the accuracy of the testing.
 
They should drop these stupid chemical tests and do impairment testing.

There is no legal limit for drugs, irrespective of whether it is a prescription drug or not, as long as it has a narcotic effect
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If they're going to do tests for other drugs then they should be required to set legal limits. If the limit is zero, then that same limit must be applied to alcohol.

Thirty-one percent of drivers killed in Australia's Victoria Province in 2003 tested positive for drugs other than alcohol - 3 percent more than drivers killed who had an illegal blood alcohol content.
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Pretty meaningless without more information. Are they saying those with other drugs were not over the limit for alcohol? What does tested positive for other drugs mean anyway? Has a legal limit been set? Were these drivers over that limit or did they just have trace amounts of these drugs? How many drivers simply tested positive for alcohol, but were below the limit? Were the drugs implicated in contributing to the accidents?

testing drivers suspected of being under the influence of a drug with a narcotic effect.
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He said a driver on anti-depressants or any other kind of prescription medication could be arrested if the drug was deemed to have a narcotic or sedative effect.
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So why would they be testing for cocaine or methamphetamine? Neither is a narcotic.

showed that at least 25 percent of a study group of long-distance truck drivers used dagga
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Whether this is a danger depends on the dose. Mild doses may actually enhance long distance driving performance.
 
>UN Office for Drugs and Crime<

I noticed reports by UN on decreased drug use (since when does the UN fight america's "drug war?")

Further any actions against marijuana (for instance) go completely against all medical evidence presented (and all evidence related to driving.) How in the "progressive countries" of the world (europe) can marijuana be legalised or decrimilised while introducing such (driving) laws here?

Leads me further down the road of UN being americas bullyboy.

And since when is the UN recommending policy in this country?
 
I am not convinced.
Perhaps dealing with folks who sell drugs would be a better way to spend the money
What is the accuracy of the strip ?
Is it used elsewhere in the world ?
 
Tassidar said:
If the test kit is well designed for ease of use, and the Metro officials are suitably trained, it shouldn't be a problem, particularly if they target only Marijuana and Tik.

Since the testing is much the same as for alcohol, there shouldn't be too much of a legal issue, should there?

I suppose one issue that would have to be established is the accuracy of the testing.
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The one for cannabis may be useless as a determinant of real intoxication. They typically test for metabolites. Even for methampetamine it may be feasible to challenge the test if it is picking up trace metabolites. Also various other substances are known to show up as amphetamine on drug tests.

I want to see proper impairment testing not arbitrary drug tests, including tests for legal drugs like alcohol.
 
kilo39 said:
>UN Office for Drugs and Crime<

I noticed reports by UN on decreased drug use (since when does the UN fight america's "drug war?")
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UNODC is going to have to start fudging the figures. They declared they'd have drastically reduced illegal drug use by 2008 and so far they're doing very badly. Since they made that declaration some European countries have realised the futility of going after users and have de facto decriminalised use of these drugs. From what I understand countries have quite a lot of leeway in how they interpret the drug treaty, so it is possible to keep to the treaty and do nothing much about stopping the drug trade.

The US is one of the biggest obstacles to a sensible approach to drug use. They'll essentially stop at nothing to impose their puritan stupidity on the world.
 
The dope on drug-impaired driving - An article on drug driving in Victoria

On impairment testing:
The Standardised Field Sobriety Test (SFST)

The first of three tasks conducted under the SFST is the ‘horizontal gaze nystagmus test’. The police officer asks the driver to look at an object (such as a torch, pencil or finger) held about 30 centimetres in front of the driver’s eyes above eye-level. Drivers are then asked to track the object with their eyes as it is moved slowly to the side. This test is designed to evaluate the degree to which the driver is suffering from nystagmus – the involuntary jerking of the eye that occurs when the eyes look to the side – which commonly occurs at a smaller angle from straight ahead under the influence of alcohol. For each eye the officer looks for three clues including a lack of ‘smooth pursuit’ (jerkiness in the eye as it follows the object) and the onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees.

The second task is the ‘walk-and-turn’, which itself comprises two parts. In the first part, the driver must stand heel-to-toe while the police officer explains the test. In the second part, he or she must take nine heel-to-toe steps in a straight line, turn around and repeat the steps in the opposite direction. Officers are trained to score the performance against eight clues, including an inability to follow instructions, over-balancing and taking an incorrect number of steps. Drivers who score two or more clues are classified as having a BAC, or drug-induced BAC equivalent, of over 0.01 per cent.

In the third task, the ‘one leg stand’, drivers are asked to stand with their arms at their sides and to hold one leg at least 15 centimetres above the ground for 30 seconds, counting out the number of seconds as they do so. Officers look for four clues including swaying and putting the foot down.
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Source
 
I'm not sure that test would necessarily be suitable for drugs like cannabis, MDMA, LSD, methamphetamine and cocaine. I think some of these drugs may cause you to be unable to do these tests, but only at fairly high doses.
 
Has someone warned Btech? :eek:

I have no problem with people smoking whatever they want to (Jeez, listen to me). I do have a major problem with poeple driving in an impaired state, whether it is caused by drugs, alcohol, or plain old stupidity, and putting my life in danger.
 
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