At the moment you can only be prosecuted for driving after taking drugs if it can be demonstrated that they impaired your driving.
From 2nd March 2015 the law changes. Driving with drugs in your body over a limit will be illegal whether you are impaired or not. The new law covers both drugs of abuse and prescription drugs and appears to bring road driving into line with rail driving, and appears also to herald random drugs tests for drivers. I can see there being quite a fuss.
From 2nd March 2015 the law changes. Driving with drugs in your body over a limit will be illegal whether you are impaired or not. The new law covers both drugs of abuse and prescription drugs and appears to bring road driving into line with rail driving, and appears also to herald random drugs tests for drivers. I can see there being quite a fuss.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/public-approval-for-driving-limits-for-16-drugs said:Illicit drugs
benzoylecgonine, 50 µg/L
cocaine, 10 µg/L
delta–9–tetrahydrocannabinol (cannabis and cannabinol), 2 µg/L
ketamine, 20 µg/L
lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), 1 µg/L
methylamphetamine, 10 µg/L
methylenedioxymethaphetamine (MDMA – ecstasy), 10 µg/L
6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM – heroin and diamorphine), 5 µg/L
Generally prescription drugs
clonazepam, 50 µg/L
diazepam, 550 µg/L
flunitrazepam, 300 µg/L
lorazepam, 100 µg/L
methadone, 500 µg/L
morphine, 80 µg/L
oxazepam, 300 µg/L
temazepam, 1000 µg/L
In the consultation for amphetamine, the government has decided that the proposed limits need to be reconsidered so that patients who take medicine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are not affected. The government will therefore look to re-consult on the new threshold later this year, with an agreed limit added in to the legislation at a later date.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/drug-driving-advice-issued-to-healthcare-professionals said:Police can already arrest and charge drivers if they are driving whilst impaired by drugs, including medicinal drugs. The new rules will mean it will be an offence to be over the specified limits for each drug whilst driving, as it is with drink driving. The limits for the vast majority of medicinal drugs are above the normal doses. Unlike the existing ‘impairment’ offence, the new law provides a medical defence for patients who are taking their medicine in accordance with instructions – either from a healthcare professional or printed in the accompanying leaflet – provided they are not impaired.
The guidance also advises patients who take legitimately supplied medicines to keep evidence with them in case they are stopped by police.
The new regulations will come in to force at the same time as new equipment to test drivers for cannabis and cocaine at the roadside is expected to become available to the police. If a driver tests positive they will be taken to a police station where a further evidential test will be taken. If this is positive it will allow police to arrest and charge a driver for being over the limit.
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