Drug-Driving: Britain Follows US With Street Testing
Drivers suspected of using drugs in the UK, face on-the-spot testing from cops, which include walking in a straight line, standing on one leg and touching your nose, counting up to 30 with your eyes closed and tests on the size of your pupils. Police are already using the new tests and anticipate carrying out at least 20,000 examinations over the next 12 months. The new street tests coincide with the introduction of compulsory alcohol education classes for the 100,000 drink drivers convicted each year, which was a move welcomed by charity Alcohol Concern.
"In the last 3 or 4 years the national strategy has concentrated on illicit drugs which have had most of its resources," the charity's assistant director Sue Boon told the Guardian. "People are comfortable about seeing illegal drugs as the root of all evil; 90% of people use alcohol but are less comfortable about the fact that it causes even more problems. We want to see alcohol being given the same priority as illicit drugs."
Her comments were echoed by one of Britain's most influential columnists, The Observer's Nigella Lawson, who wrote this week, "I feel that drug use doesn't make a junkie any more than getting drunk makes an alcoholic." Attacking the war on drugs, she added "it appears to be the case that the desire for intoxication is innate in humans... I agree, just because something is innate doesn't make it good, but whatever, prohibition can never be the answer."
Drug Drive Tests:
1- Walk in a straight line, looking at your feet for a pre-determined number of footsteps.
2- Stand on one leg, lift one high into the air, then touch your nose with both fingers.
3- Your pupils will be compared to those on an indicator board.
4- Estimate 30 seconds in your head, with your eyes closed.
Suspects get up to three goes at each one, and failing any test means you'll be arrested and face fines, a driving ban and possible prison.
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