Will new drug driving laws result in a massive rise in criminal convictions?

[Routemaster]

I know its off the drink driving topic but I'm all for coming down hard on drug driving offenders. However many people taking legal medicines prescribed by their GP or over the counter will fall into this trap.

Even Medications such as some pain killers and codeine cough medicines fall into the new government crackdown.

Lets be honest! How many of us with a chest infection or bad cold will take a codeine cough medicine? A lot I presume! Far far more than people who drink drive! Of course we would not drive if impaired by the medicine but many may feel ok to drive and fall into a police trap.

(Codeine is converted by the liver into morphine)

1) I think we will see a historical rise in criminal convictions due to this rule.

2) We could see Britain breaking world records by having the highest number of criminals which will affect our global credibility and economy, and be a global embarrassment as the UK will become a nation of convicts.

3) Target seeking police forces could blitz motorists as an easy target. Is this new law to help police meet targets?

4) Huge numbers of people with criminal records will mean higher unemployment, social breakdown and more tax payers funding dole benefits.

5) Rehabilitation of offenders will be affected as will a rise in people unable to find work due to a record.

We will be seeing many lives ruined. Careers over the social stigma of a criminal record driving people to mental breakdowns.

"Imagine Mrs A a well respected school teacher for 20 years. Has a bad cold takes a legal codeine based cough syrup prescribed by her GP, she feels ok for driving. Stopped by police on way to school, she is arrested for having morphine in her blood (codeine is converted to morphine by the liver).
She is summoned to court, criminal record, teaching career over. Having never been jobless she has to claim dole benefits. Loses her friends due to stigma of a criminal record. Has to cancel a family holiday to the US. Her family splits up. It would be no surprise if she suffers a mental breakdown!
Who wins? The education system has lost a well respected teacher, another criminal record, a family broken up, tax payers funding her benefits and treatment for a mental breakdown."

I know legal drugs can cause driving impairment and that must be stopped, but where do we draw the line? Driving with hay fever or a heavy cold on its own can impair driving, so can a heavy downpour of rain, or being tired but you wouldn't arrest those people. Yes I agree prosecute people taking illegal drugs or even abusing prescription drugs they were not entitled to but I think banning people from driving with certain legal drugs is a bit over the top.

 

[Routemaster]

Where do you draw the line with causes of driving impairment? The list of things that can impair driving is endless!

A heavy cold
hayfever
Kids fighting on the back seat
an itch
sneezing
a runny nose
Listening to football on the car radio
argument at work or home
heartburn
an annoying rattle inside the car
a fly in the car
etc etc if you wish to add to the list

anything that affects your concentration can impair your driving! Some of these things impair driving more than being slightly over the DD Limit!

 

[price1367]

Routemaste,
i think your assessment of the situation is over dramatic.
There are Definitions of how much drugs / medications that can be in the system before you are 'over the limit'. There is a specific defence that the medication was prescribed and you were taking the correct amount as per the prescription.
It does all appear to be somewhat confusing, so much so that at least one police force has said that for the present time, until there is more clarity, that they will NOT be enforcing the new law when it comes in tomorrow. So much for the police looking for an easy arrest and getting quotas.
A drink drive conviction does NOT automatically mean the loss of a job as a teacher etc, dependant on the circumstances, and certainly does not bar a person from obtaining such jobs, just that it has to be declared.
For most drink driving cases, because of the wording being changed on the ESTA form, a drink drive conviction does not have to be declared and does not bar anyone from going to the USA.

 

[Rachmolly80]

Routemaste,
i think your assessment of the situation is over dramatic.
There are Definitions of how much drugs / medications that can be in the system before you are 'over the limit'. There is a specific defence that the medication was prescribed and you were taking the correct amount as per the prescription.
It does all appear to be somewhat confusing, so much so that at least one police force has said that for the present time, until there is more clarity, that they will NOT be enforcing the new law when it comes in tomorrow. So much for the police looking for an easy arrest and getting quotas.
A drink drive conviction does NOT automatically mean the loss of a job as a teacher etc, dependant on the circumstances, and certainly does not bar a person from obtaining such jobs, just that it has to be declared.
For most drink driving cases, because of the wording being changed on the ESTA form, a drink drive conviction does not have to be declared and does not bar anyone from going to the USA.

Interestingly, my partner has been to see his doctor this week in relation to this new law. He is on some seriously strong painkillers for a spinal injury, so strong that he has to produce ID each time he collects his prescription.

The drugs, as with most, say you should not drive on them if you feel impaired to do so. My partner doesn't feel impaired and does not exceed the prescribed levels. As he drives for a living, he wanted the doctor to write him a letter to produce incase he was stopped and checked as he would definitely flag as a 'drug driver'. The doctor flatly refused, saying it was a grey area and that his prescription slip would be enough... So, basically the doctor wouldn't put his name to it.

all he did say is that if he got arrested ?! They have a good medical defence team..

I think the new law is going to cause a lot of problems.

 

[Routemaster]

Interestingly, my partner has been to see his doctor this week in relation to this new law. He is on some seriously strong painkillers for a spinal injury, so strong that he has to produce ID each time he collects his prescription.

The drugs, as with most, say you should not drive on them if you feel impaired to do so. My partner doesn't feel impaired and does not exceed the prescribed levels. As he drives for a living, he wanted the doctor to write him a letter to produce incase he was stopped and checked as he would definitely flag as a 'drug driver'. The doctor flatly refused, saying it was a grey area and that his prescription slip would be enough... So, basically the doctor wouldn't put his name to it.

all he did say is that if he got arrested ?! They have a good medical defence team..

I think the new law is going to cause a lot of problems.

Ive been checking through social media and health forums and a lot of people are seriously worried about this new crackdown. Some have considered ending their medication against doctors advice and to the detriment of their health (especially with chemotherapy and antibiotics!) and some have even considered giving up driving and going on disability leave from work, a minority have even considered handing their driving licence back to DVLA.

But I think a lot of cases will be dismissed by courts so long as the drug prescribed was not being abused and that the correct dose was been taken. Its those who are taking legal drugs that weren't prescribed for them who will face trouble.

 

[Rachmolly80]

Ive been checking through social media and health forums and a lot of people are seriously worried about this new crackdown. Some have considered ending their medication against doctors advice and to the detriment of their health (especially with chemotherapy and antibiotics!) and some have even considered giving up driving and going on disability leave from work, a minority have even considered handing their driving licence back to DVLA.

But I think a lot of cases will be dismissed by courts so long as the drug prescribed was not being abused and that the correct dose was been taken. Its those who are taking legal drugs that weren't prescribed for them who will face trouble.

The problem you have is proving 'impairment' particularly after an accident even if it wasn't your fault. We even called one of the drug abuse hotlines who mentioned speaking to the police, the problem they said with doing that is the police might see that as a heads up and could get you into trouble. It's a bit like having a drink, being under the drink drive limit and having an accident - depending on the circumstances you are sometimes implied to be driving while impaired.

 

[Routemaster]

The problem you have is proving 'impairment' particularly after an accident even if it wasn't your fault. We even called one of the drug abuse hotlines who mentioned speaking to the police, the problem they said with doing that is the police might see that as a heads up and could get you into trouble. It's a bit like having a drink, being under the drink drive limit and having an accident - depending on the circumstances you are sometimes implied to be driving while impaired.

I think impairment is an interesting subject in itself. I've even heard that driving with a heavy cold or bad hay fever especially with lots of sneezing, feeling drowsy etc can cause as much impairment as being over the drink drive limit! Of course you don't get prosecuted for driving whilst under the influence of a bad cold lol. But I guess with drink or drug driving the police argue that you have deliberately impaired yourself and driven a motor vehicle in full knowledge. I guess on the subject of impairment where do you draw the line?