Roadside drug detection

The government is considering changing UK laws so that police officers can use roadside drug-detection devices to determine if motorists have taken narcotics.

The statement was made in a Radio 4 interview by transport secretary Lord Adonis, who was promoting the government’s £2.3m Think! advertising campaign to deter people from driving under the influence of illegal drugs.

Other countries such as Australia have tried tackling the issue over the last few years by equipping police officers with devices commonly known as drugalysers. These devices use a saliva sample from a driver to screen for illegal substances such as cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy. A result can be achieved in minutes.

Lord Adonis admitted roadside drug-testing devices would be ideal but it does not fit within current UK laws.

In the case of suspected drink driving, for example, a police officer can use a breathalyser to estimate if a driver has a blood alcohol level high enough to impair driving. Currently, police officers can use the Field Impairment Assessment (FIA) to ascertain if a motorist is under the influence of drugs.