Drug driving checks

In terms of the story below, I think a bit more education for people taking long term medication is required, regardless of the outcome of this particular case.

Certainly, very clear guidance for doctors (i.e. educate the doctors in order to educate the patient) on what to do/not do.

While guidance on taking medication prescription drugs has been around a long time on the packets themselves, the practical implications such as car drug-driving tests/potential arrest etc, weren't so it's a good opportunity for re-education i think.

I haven't seen a lot of education on this topic myself in terms of newspapers, TV adverts etc, and I don't take drugs/medication but I'll be asking a lot of questions in the future to my doctor if I have to, based on this story.




http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/i-was-humiliated-by-drug-driving-arrest-because-of-my-medication-driver-hits-out-at-new-laws-35639371.html

Also- this information might inform:

given the numbers involved, this could become a major issue quite quickly- benzodiazepines are a very common prescription these days.


http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/special-report-the-anti-depressant-generation-319128.html

Sometimes depression and an anxiety disorder go hand in hand. Neither have any regard for age, gender or background and can strike at any time.

Given the extent of depression and anxiety within our population, we decided to examine prescribing rates for the top five anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication in each of the country’s 32 local health offices (LHOs)* in an attempt to get some kind of handle on how dependent we are as a nation on mood-altering drugs.

An analysis of the figures based on publicly-prescribed drugs under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme (which covers medical card holders) shows a whopping two million plus prescriptions were written for the top five in 2012, enough to cover half the population, but in fact for the benefit of 331,368 patients.

That figure doesn’t include prescriptions for the same pills under the Drug Payment Scheme (340,917), or the Longterm Illness Scheme (12,493), or private patients who don’t spend enough on drugs each month to qualify for the Drug Payment Scheme (DPS threshold 144).

Edit- sorry Mods- didn't realise there was a "drugs thread"- please merge if possible.

dev100

It's mad the guy was arrested by 11 and out by 2am to go collect his car !!!! This has to be the maddest little country ever. If this is type of thing that is gonna happen going forward this new law is gonna cause more hassle than its worth.

Should have a field sobriety type test and if you pass that you should be allowed go on your way .


There's a big difference at a check point between a junkie being on the road and a genuine person with health problems.

extra-ordinary_

dev100 wrote: »

...There's a big difference at a check point between a junkie being on the road and a genuine person with health problems.

There's no difference if they're a danger to themselves or other road users


It seems an unenforceable law IMO, drugs can stay in the system for days - weeks - months, and it's also not illegal to have medication in your bloodstream and drive. Garda can now stop and check if you have drugs in your bloodstream but surely there can't be any conviction unless the drug levels are over a certain blood level threshold.

tossy

dev100 wrote: »

junkie

:rolleyes: 1986 called and want's it pop culture reference back.

extra-ordinary_

extra-ordinary_ wrote: »

Garda can now stop and check if you have drugs in your bloodstream but surely there can't be any conviction unless the drug levels are over a certain blood level threshold.

So they arrest you bring you to a station presumably take a sample or test on a big machine and generally waste an awful lot of time for possibly very little result.

Testing for illegal drugs is one thing but the process hasn't been thought through for prescription drugs- there's 10s of 1000s of people out there right now that could be arrested tomorrow for prescription drug driving and who are entitled to drive from a medical and safety perspective. That just seems wrong

ScumLord

Deleted User wrote: »

Testing for illegal drugs is one thing but the process hasn't been thought through for prescription drugs- there's 10s of 1000s of people out there right now that could be arrested tomorrow for prescription drug driving and who are entitled to drive from a medical and safety perspective. That just seems wrong

The problem is prescription drugs are often made from the same stuff illegal drug are made from. Morphine is a derivative of the same plant heroin is made from. the tests can't tell the difference because they're testing for the same substances.

ironclaw

dev100 wrote: »

It's mad the guy was arrested by 11 and out by 2am to go collect his car !!!! This has to be the maddest little country ever. If this is type of thing that is gonna happen going forward this new law is gonna cause more hassle than its worth.

There is a slight difference between testing positive and getting prosecuted. A few people have the misconception that if you blow (or whatever) positive at the road side then you are automatically 'done'. You're not. Plenty of people can blow above the threshold at the roadside, only to sober up just enough at the station when the formal sample is taken, which in itself has an error tolerance in your favour. If you play your cards right and unless you are properly hammered, you'll probably get away with most intoxication roadside tests by the time the formal sample is taken.

dev100

extra-ordinary_ wrote:

There's no difference if they're a danger to themselves or other road users

What if you ain't ? Surely though if I'm drugged up to the eye ball and off my rocker on illegal drugs then fair enough arrest me but if I'm fully alert and have done this test and asked to do the sobriety test and pass I should be let on my way

extra-ordinary_ wrote:

It seems an unenforceable law IMO, drugs can stay in the system for days - weeks - months, and it's also not illegal to have medication in your bloodstream and drive. Garda can now stop and check if you have drugs in your bloodstream but surely there can't be any conviction unless the drug levels are over a certain blood level threshold.

tossy wrote:

1986 called and want's it pop culture reference back.

Jas we have PC names for everything now

ScumLord wrote:

The problem is prescription drugs are often made from the same stuff illegal drug are made from. Morphine is a derivative of the same plant heroin is made from. the tests can't tell the difference because they're testing for the same substances.

Surely though there's a difference between a person taking a morphine type substance and a person who has used heroin.

I just think the law was set up to take anyone off the road who was on a high from illegal drugs when they were driving. Which I agree with. Now because of silliness anyone on meds or has traces of substances in their body is spending an evening in the cells even though they are fully with it.

ScumLord

ScumLord wrote: »

The problem is prescription drugs are often made from the same stuff illegal drug are made from. Morphine is a derivative of the same plant heroin is made from. the tests can't tell the difference because they're testing for the same substances.

In addition, when Cannabis is no longer illegal for certain patients in the future, through prescription, I wonder what the implications will be.

Ubbquittious

Did anyone here get one of those drug tests yet?

quadrifoglio verde

It's quite simple.
If you are stopped and tested and found to have cocaine or cannabis in your system you are arrested and brought to the station where a blood test is performed.

If you are stopped and tested and found to have opiates or benzodiazepines in your system one of two things will happen:
If the guard thinks that your driving is impaired, you are arrested and a blood test is performed.
If the guard doesn't think your driving is impaired, you're allowed continue on your journey.

If you are stopped and tested and found to have no drugs in your system, if the guard believes that you're impaired, he can arrest you as other drugs don't show up the roadside test but will in a blood/urine test. Example of this is amphetamines.


Whether you've taken prescription drugs or not, if you're tired, don't drive.
If you're not fully alert, don't drive.
If you're vision is blurred, don't drive.
If you're judgement is impaired don't drive.

quadrifoglio verde

[Deleted User] wrote: »

In addition, when Cannabis is no longer illegal for certain patients in the future, through prescription, I wonder what the implications will be.

If it's prescribed, they are fine to drive, provided that they're not impaired.

If they are impaired, then they can't drive.

Gavinz

tossy wrote: »

:rolleyes: 1986 called and want's it pop culture reference back.

Sorry Joe, the poor unwell drug victim.