Aus - One in four drivers on drugs

[poledriver]

One in four drivers on drugs

New police data shows that one in four drivers tested for drugs returns a positive result. It's an emerging problem that has seen a whole new industry created around testing for illicit substances, and a south-east Queensland company is leading the way. Ben Murphy reports.

Watch the video -

https://au.news.yahoo.com/video/wat...ce-data-testing-for-illicit-substances/#page1

- To me this seems like blatant lies. I very highly doubt 1 in 4 drivers are being detected with drugs via saliva tests that only test for xtc, ice/speed and weed. Obviously the majority of positives are going to be for weed. But 1 in 4? Sounds suss to me.

 

[Crankinit]

New police data shows that one in four drivers tested for drugs

That last bit is the important part. The next question is - who are they testing? If they're sitting on the major road testing people coming out of a night life district on a Saturday or Sunday morning, then 1/4 isn't impossible. It's arguably even likely, if the tests they use pick up trace quantities and not just active intoxication.

But the way they're writing is, at the least, somewhat disingenuous.

 

[belligerent drunk]

Having "drugs" in your system, and having an amount enough for intoxication is two very, very different things. You can detect benzos and weed weeks or even months after cessation of use. Even more water soluble drugs like amphetamines linger in the system for days after they've worn off.

The fact that 25% drivers tested positive for "drugs" is a problem, but the problem is in the testing, not in the people. I will never, ever believe that quarter of the whole driving population drives high. Never. Therefore, it means that we have to re-think how to accurately measure intoxication.