In Indian cities, it took a long time for police to get the mechanism to catch drunk drivers but now there is a new challenge before the police as driving under the influence of illegal and prescription drugs is on the rise and police find themselves lagging on the tech curve once again. There is no mechanism in place to catch drug users at the wheel.
The drugs like Cannabis, LSD, MDMA or Ecstasy, hashish and cocaine are among the drugs being seized in National Capital on daily basis. But Delhi Police finds itself standing in no man’s land when it comes to catch people who have consumed drug and are driving their cars.
The only way to detect narcotic traces in a driver is through a blood sample. Police can only book someone if found in possession of drugs or buying it or in the act of consuming it.
Till June this year, Delhi Police caught 1.5 lakh drunken drivers. Drug users, though, are a different matter. “We can detect drug using drivers visually, or through smell. They can be booked under the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act,” said a senior Traffic police official.
Without technology, police can do very little to catch drug users during checks. “Currently, we can only seek a test of narcotics content in the system of a person if he is involved in an accident,” said the senior traffic police official.
Road safety experts pointed out that even legal drugs prescribed by doctors to treat common medical conditions affect the performance of the driver.
Dr Nand Kumar, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said that the drugs like Cannabis LSD, MDMA have become very common amongst the youngsters. These substances are more harmful because of its social sanctions.
“These drugs inhibit the brain and dull the central nervous system and diminished the reflexes of the brain leading to high chances of Road traffic accidents and violence. Unfortunately Cannabis is being promoted for recreational use in some country and being used by youngster in India. The worst part of cannabis is that it precipitates ‘Marked Behavioural’ changes and sense of alters reality leading to abnormal behaviors and anger outburst,” said Dr Nand Kumar.
“With technology cannabis can also be detected through urine examination. The most effective way to prevent the abuse of the substance is at policy level by the Government. It is pertinent to mention here that there are person at policy level who believes that cannabis should be legalized,” Dr Nand Kumar added.