Driving, Drugs and the New Drugalyser
Introduced to the UK in 2015 the drugaliser has come up with some rather startling results. Its use by some police forces has been slow on the uptake, probably because of its cost.
A breathalyser kit can take a sample and give the result for less than 20 pence, the drug analyser equivalent it is reckoned, costs around £18.00 to administer.
The most common drugs found among drivers have been cannabis and cocaine, which, unlike alcohol have not been main stream stimulants among the general population since pre-biblical times, so let’s look at these drugs.
Cannabis, like most stimulants, acts as a Central Nervous System depressant. It is generally sold in one of three recognisable forms. Grass, which is most of the plant, stem, leaves. Buds and seeds, cut and dried. This form is also recognised as marijuana.
Hashish, or hash, is the resin taken from the plant and compressed into blocks or slabs of normally one kilo. Traditionally from Nepal, Afghanistan or parts of India, a dark brown or black colour, with a tarry feel, and seen as slightly stronger than hash from further West.
This is generally from Morocco or The Lebanon, and the hash is light brown or olive coloured, or reddish light brown, and feels dry and can crumble.
A slightly less common form of cannabis is hash oil, a thick, dark, tarry liquid prepared from the resin or the flowers of the plant.
In recent years, “home-grown” has taken a sizeable part of the market in the U.K. grown indoors under artificial light and using considerable heat.
This type of growing has started to use newly developed strains which although presented as “weed”, dried stems, leaves etc. are far stronger than traditional marijuana.
It is known as skunk, and carries far greater concentration of THC. This is the main psychoactive ingredient of cannabis.
Taking cannabis usually means smoking it, mixed with tobacco, or neat. It affects concentration and physical co-ordination in a away not dissimilar to alcohol, which is why taking this drug and driving is going to risk a license at the very least.
The drugalyser is also able to detect cocaine, probably the second most used recreational drug. This stimulant also affects the Central Nervous System, in its own way.
Have you been stopped and tested for suspected drug use with driving? Ask pattersonlaw.co.uk how they can help you to defend your licence.
“Coke”, or “Charlie” as it’s known, is grown and produced in South America from the Coca plant, and is imported in powder form into this country.
Depending on its purity on arrival, it will normally be “cut-down” to increase its bulk with an inert powder. It is usually sniffed, or “snorted” up into a nostril, and gives an almost instantaneous effect.
The most usual effect is that of mental well-being and exhilaration, but the drugalyser can detect drug ingestion from at least 24 hours distant, and a high may only last for thirty minutes, but the potential legalities may linger a lot longer.