NOTE: By submitting this form and registering with us, you are providing us with permission to store your personal data and the record of your registration. In addition, registration with the Medical Independent includes granting consent for the delivery of that additional professional content and targeted ads, and the cookies required to deliver same. View our Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice for further details.



Don't have an account? Subscribe

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More than 300 certificates of analysis issued under new drug-driving rules

By Mindo - 01st Mar 2018

<p class=”p1″>According to figures provided by the Bureau to the <strong><em>Medical Inde- </em></strong><span class=”s1″><strong><em>pendent </em></strong>(<strong><em>MI</em></strong>) as of Friday, 23 Feb</span>ruary, the MBRS has issued 308 ‘Green Certificates’ for concentra<span class=”s1″>tions of cannabis and cocaine under </span>the new legislation. In addition, in <span class=”s1″>93 of those cases, ‘Blue Certificates’ </span>with confirmed presence of other <span class=”s1″>drugs were also issued.</span>

Last April saw the introduction of <span class=”s1″>new drug testing regulations for driving. The regulations enable gardaí to </span>test motorists whom they suspect of <span class=”s1″>driving under the influence of a range of legal and illegal substances known to impair driving. The new drug test</span>ing devices involve testing a sample <span class=”s1″>of a driver’s oral fluid for the presence</span> opiates (eg, heroin, morphine) and <span class=”s1″>benzodiazepines.</span>

<p class=”p1″>The Director of the Bureau Prof Denis Cusack told <strong><em>MI </em></strong>that the new <span class=”s1″>drug-driving regulations were initially “slow to take off because the gardaí </span>obviously had to have time to train enough gardaí on the roadside drug testing” but they represent “a big <span class=”s1″>change [and] it is having an impact”.</span>

<p class=”p1″>Drink-driving remains a key is<span class=”s1″>sue for the Bureau, however.</span>

<p class=”p1″>“There was a perception that <span class=”s1″>drink-driving was a thing of the past, but our figures from the last few years </span>shows that it is still a very big prob<span class=”s1″>lem. In fact, the biggest drugs-driving problem is alcohol, because alcohol is </span>a drug, a social drug that is licensed <span class=”s1″>and permitted,” Prof Cusack stated.</span>

<p class=”p1″>The responsibility for chemical testing of intoxicants in driving in <span class=”s1″>Ireland rests with the MBRS, which </span>was established in 1968 under the <span class=”s1″>Road Traffic Act, 1968.</span>

<p class=”p1″>Last year, there were 159 fatali<span class=”s1″>ties on Irish roads, according to data from the Road Safety Authority. </span>

<p class=”p1″><span class=”s1″><strong><em>See interview on pages 16-18</em></strong></span>

Leave a Reply

ADVERTISEMENT

Latest

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Issue
The Medical Independent 19th March 2024

You need to be logged in to access this content. Please login or sign up using the links below.

ADVERTISEMENT

Most Read

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT