Head of the toxicology department, Andrin Tahiri, said that the drug test for drivers is meant to orientate authorities but it is not determinative.
The reason for this is that drivers could be using drugs that have been prescribed by their doctor for medical purposes which means that they need to take them.
This is why, according to him, the drug test is prone to mistakes and unable to identify if a driver has been using narcotics or a prescription drug.
“This is my issue with all of this. If someone who has taken medication, is stopped and screened, how will they be penalized? There’s a group of patients who are heroin users. These patients are prescribed methadone to sustain their addiction. Methadone is a synthetic drug that helps patients build social well-being. This medication helps, so how will we solve this problem? They need to take it and it’s prescribed to them by the doctor. If he takes the right dose prescribed by the doctor, he can go behind the wheel,” – said the toxicologist.
Tahiri also underlined that only the metabolite levels of drugs, alcohol, or medicaments in a patient’s blood – measured by professional procedures – can be considered correct and accurate.
