Tough laws on drug driving

We all know that drunk driving is illegal and risky; it can lead to minor bumps to full blown fatal crashes.  However there is now a new focus being placed on the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs, and new laws are being introduced in the UK to try and tackle this issue and help prevent some of the potential damage done by those drug driving.

For those who have never used any form of street drug they may not be aware of the extreme impact it can have on one's body and brain, unfortunately the whole purpose of taking drugs is that it alters ones mental state to such an extent that some people may even forget who they are, and if someone chooses to drive whilst in this state, they put themselves and others at serious risk.  Issues such as reduced reaction times are only some of the issues encountered, for many people who use recreational drugs, they may experience a very strong 'trip' whereby they hallucinate or believe things that are not necessarily true.  This can make driving extremely dangerous as individuals may be entirely unaware of their actual surroundings because they are high, and may drive recklessly because they mistakenly believe what they are seeing in their hallucination, and this can occur whether an individual is smoking crack cocaine or cannabis.

Due to the high risks of driving whilst under the influence of any drug, including cannabis, individuals who are found to be under the influence of cannabis when driving will face an immediate ban of at least one year, and may also face a fine and possible jail term of up to six months (London Evening Standard, 2021).

It is hoped that these new laws will help reduce the rates of accidents caused by drug driving, and will keep innocent bystanders safe, as well as hopefully encourage the drug users to reconsider their behaviour, and maybe even enter into some form of rehab in the future, thus potentially benefiting millions of people in the process.

London Evening Standard.  (2021).  One spliff and you're off the road: Crackdown on drug driving.  Sourced from: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/one-spliff-and-youre-off-the-road-crackdown-on-drug-driving-8697798.html

Published by PCUG Addiction Treatment on 17/07/2020.