Jimbo9

Sydney (dpa) - A crackdown on drug-drivers in Australia ran into
trouble Wednesday after the first motorist picked up for being under
the influence of cannabis demanded an apology from police after a
random roadside saliva came back with a false positive.
Police then admitted that two out of the first three positive tests
had given the wrong reading.
Police conducting last week's groundbreaking drug testing programme
had alleged Melbourne delivery driver John De Jong was high on
amphetamines and cannabis.
De Jong protested his innocence, saying it had been four weeks
since he last smoked cannabis. He had his blood sample tested at an
independent laboratory and the results showed no trace of illicit
drugs.
Victoria police have now confirmed his innocence by retesting the
sample saliva-swab he gave. They also revealed that a second positive
test had been re-examined and found to be negative.
But an apology has not been forthcoming. ``They put me in front of
the media from the word go, and said I had tested positive to
amphetamines and cannabis,'' De Jong complained to Australia's AAP
news agency. ``Their tests and my tests show that not to be true, and
they are not even willing to apologize. I just think that's wrong.''
One in eight of the first batch of drivers tested last week turned
in a swab that contained traces of cannabis, police said at the time.
The year-long trial, the first of its kind in the world, will check
the ``gob swabs'' of 9,000 drivers. Drivers who fail are to be fined
300 Australian dollars (225 U.S. dollars) for a first offence and have
three demerit points entered on their licences.
The trial came after a national survey in which a quarter of men
under the age of 25 admitted to having driven after taking an illicit
drug. Of those who confessed to drug-driving, ecstasy was the drug of
choice, followed by cannabis.
Lorry drivers and late-night revellers are the targets of the
campaign in Victoria, Australia's second largest state. The biggest
state, New South Wales, will bring in drug testing next year. Again,
truck drivers taking amphetamines (speed) and cannabis would be
targeted.
``For some time now there has been concern about the level of drugs
being taken by heavy vehicle drivers,'' New South Wales Roads Minister
Carl Scully said. ``There is an emerging number who are using speed to
stay awake. They're using cannabis to get to sleep and they go back on
speed to go back on their shift.''

hevs

OK, does anyone else see anything wrong with this.

PS I heard something strange today.....

For those of you noticing a pair of tied up runners, usually white, thrown over lamp posts or pylons............. it means "the drugs have landed" :scared:

Kiwipaul

Dope addicts deserve all they get.

Untill we make it socially and financially unacceptable to take any form of recrecreational drugs we'er beating our heads against a brick wall.

Far as I'm concerned anyone should be liable for random drug tests anytime and if positve they should risk loosing they're job maybe if they are caught a second time.

Also this should apply to anyone claiming a benefit from the gov that will stop the unemployed spending their dole on drugs, or child support being used to buy drugs.

This should also appy to politicians who should not even get a second chance as they should be setting an example.

Drugs are a millstone around our society and we should do everything in our power to destroy it. The funny thing is a lot of drug takers don't think they are addicts and they are in control of the addiction. Well lets see how they like being unemployed with no benefits and basically no future.

Maybe then we could legalise it but make the consequences of taking it so dracionan that only an idiot would (mind you you'd have to be an idiot now to take drugs).

Jimbo9

I did - they should make it clear they mean population !

hevs

Phew, thought i'd taken too many drugs

Jimbo9

The state expanding rather than the mind expanding kind !

Grayling

Including Alcohol?

G

Quinkana

Can I have a nightcap once in a while?

Deadmeat

Anyone seen "Reefer Madness"? Really funny anti-drugs propaganda film from waaaaay back when.

Well, it's funny for me ...

cresta57

Do we include ciggarettes and alcohol among the list of recreational drugs then or stop short of those drugs that generate a healthy return for the govt. coffers?

Meanwhile back in the real world what do the kids eat where do they live and why should I pay more taxes to keep them?

Should be but don't
I can't see the logic in this, if a person holds down a job pays taxes and is no drain on the system but enjoys a smoke at night to relax why penalise them and the rest of us by making them unemployed? If they choose to smoke a joint instead of throwing copious amounts of beer down their necks I don't see a problem.
I thought it was legal or de-criminalised to grow your own canabis plants in some states here. Large numbers of canabis users both here and in U.K are using the drug as a form of pain relief, the U.K govt. was even piloting research into it's use for treating M.S sufferers.

Personally I don't use any recreational drugs other than alcohol, I can't wait for new year as the smoking ban in pubs comes into effect then and 1/3 of the total area has to be smoke free. By 2006 it will be 100% banned, Yippie no more watering eyes and stinking clothes

mlbonner

Not sure if you're serious or not, but I've been told this before as well!

Beegee

I thought it was just local kids bullying one another!

DM I found Refer Maddness funny too...."Its all because he smoked a Refer"

Drugs are bad okay well have a little look see here...

www.gwpharm.com

elksa

Sounds like your the dracionan one. What do you think is going to happen if you sack everyone that takes small quantities of fairly harmless drugs, such as, cannabis? I'd suggest that most will end up firstly getting more and more depressed and probably taking more and more drugs to help them with this, they'll turn to crime to pay for their habit and then they'll end up being a bigger burdon on the health service and society in general.

Nothing against drug testing driver it's a bloody good idea, but stupid opinions like yours aren't the way forward in getting a handle on the problem.

hevs

I saw another pair yesturday and thought how peed off i'd be if my kids kept arriving home without their runners, now it brings forth a whole new meaning

mutant

Ah! Reefer madness...A cult classic.

That takes me back a bit. Not that I condone driving while stoned