The Swedish Road Traffic Offences Act was changed on July 1st 1999 and a zero-limit for narcotic substances in blood was introduced. The zero-limit is not enforced for therapeutic drugs taken according to prescription by a physician, but if the driver is a danger to traffic safety by impairment from therapeutic drugs he could be convicted. There was a fourfold increase in the number of drivers apprehended on suspicion of DUlD (driving under the influence of drugs) during the second half of 1999 as compared to several years preceding the new legislation. There were positive analytical findings of drugs in 91% of the blood samples from these drivers. Illicit narcotic drugs were found in 83% of the blood samples. In one third of the samples from the users of illicit drugs there were also therapeutic drugs present. The most common analytical findings were amphetamine (63%), THC (30%), diazepam (17%), morphine (10%) and flunitrazepam (7%). The full impact of the new zero-tolerance law on DUID in Sweden remains to be seen.
Abstract