‘Biggest killers on our road’: Government to roll out randomised roadside drug testing
The Government says it’ll roll out randomised roadside drug testing later this year.
Legislation’s being introduced to allow Police to randomly screen drivers for drugs, similarly to testing for drink-driving.
Doing two roadside tests would make false positives less likely.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown says it’s one of the biggest killers on our road.
“In the last 10 years, it’s been, I think a third of deaths on our roads have been because of people who’ve taken drugs and driven. So that is something that we need to do everything we can to reduce.”
Let’s be very clear.
In 2021 road crashes cost $9.77billion – that’s 4% of our GDP!
We must reduce this appalling cost to our public roads.
We all want safe roads, we need safe roads.
What Simeon Brown is recommending here however is stupid.
Right now, Chemist Warehouse are offering Medicinal Cannabis at 25% less than the Green Drs!.
My fear with the current legal Medicinal Cannabis market in NZ is a bit like how I felt about the Psychoactive Substances Act in 2013, in that the Politicians had no idea what the Psychoactive Substances Act did and I don’t think Simeon understands you can legally buy cannabis right now in NZ.
This is all very problematic because cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug and it stays in your system longer than the impairment.
What is going to happen is drivers with legitimate medicinal cannabis in their system will get caught in this new roadside testing because the Test isn’t testing for impairment, it’s simply testing for it in your system.
This is a misuse of the technology and won’t actually make things safer.
Arresting people for cannabis in their system, when it’s not impairing you, isn’t a solution.
Watch as Simeon gasps when journalists point out to him that you can legally buy cannabis in NZ.
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Will 3 strikes apply?
Is there lab testing capacity?
It works in Australia. If you have a prescription for medical cannabis you are allow the THC in it to be in your system .
Having a prescription makes it ok to drive?
Big increase in prescriptions?
Works? Sound like nonsense.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-29/greg-barns-drug-driving-laws-are-unfair/7116994
Wonder if it will become like alcohol testing, where it is the certain level after which you get prosecuted.
“What is going to happen is drivers with .. cannabis in their system will get caught in this new roadside testing because the Test isn’t testing for impairment, it’s simply testing for it in your system.”
That clearly ilustrates the inherent injustice, corruption, dishonesty, incompetence etc of our so called justice system. You would think some legal team would be able to make the argument that impairment wasn’t tested for and so the defendant can not be said to be impaired on the basis of that test.
Don’t bother with legal pharma weed, get a med card for $99, which gives you a legal defence for possession of underground.
Same goes for growing your own for personal use. Keep it under 6 plants like other legal countries have, and wait and see if they take you to court for growing medicine.
You make a good point Seer!
It is supposed to test for recent, not historic use – thus is a measure of impairment.
It includes all prescription medicine, not just marijuana.
Those evading the test will end up in prison faster than the others.
In that it is an imprisonment programmes – but without an drug addiction treatment capability – it is imprisonment of addicts who drive.
It is supposed to test for recent, not historic use, yet historic (as in pervious use and not just on the day) use is also detected.
Thus, it is not an accurate measure of impairment.
Where did you get the info it will be an imprisonment programme?
gotta fill that mega prison – what an effing joke – they have bugger all evidence around the impairment of driving from cannabis – this is just nanny state puriitanism from arseholes playing at lord baron god botherers. Our only hope with these losers in charge, is Maori.
A very informative discussion here
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018939935/should-all-drugs-be-decriminalised
More than 150 experts have signed an open letter calling on the NZ Government to legalise and regulate all psychoactive substances. The letter marks the launch of the Harm Reduction Coalition Aotearoa, which aims to reduce the negative consequences of drug use in a way that upholds people’s dignity and rights. It’s an idea already in practice in different corners of the world – including Portugal where possession of illicit substances for personal use was decriminalised in 2001. Canada followed in January 2023, with the province of British Columbia, kicking off a three-year trial that allows adults to possess up to 2.5 grams of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine or meth without being arrested, charged, or having their drugs seized – except around schools and airports. However, just over a year into the project it has come under increasing pressure from opponents who have called it a ‘harmful experiment’. Recently some of the measures have been rolled back. Public drug use is now re-criminalised, while drug possession in private homes is still legal. Joining us to discuss are Dr Nuno Capaz, of Lisbon’s Dissuasion Commission of Drug Addiction, Dr Lindsey Richardson from the BC Centre on Substance Use, and Dr Fiona Hutton, a member of the Harm Reduction Coalition Aotearoa.
That picture at the top is just … just wrong!
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