(DRU0013)

Written evidence submitted by D.tec International Ltd (DRU0013)

‘Illegal drug use in the UK and its effect on society.’

1. My company has been supplying drug and alcohol screening equipment to UK police and UK corporations since 1996. We are the principal supplier of DrugWipe, the Home Office Type Approved road side drug screening equipment to each and every police force in England, Wales and Scotland.

2. Having worked in this arena since 1996, my 25 years have seen and measured the proliferation of consumption of drugs, as seen both in the workplace and more recently with the implementation of the Road Traffic Act 1988 Section 5a ‘above the limit’ for driving with drugs in the body.

3. Current publicly available data on the number of drug drive collisions and drug driving is still only scratching the surface. This is because police have been financially constrained in their use of the DrugWipe roadside screener, then hindered by the lack of confirmation capability in the forensic laboratories. The figures from the Ministry of Justice and separately the DVSA show approximately 20,000 people lost their licence to drug driving in 2019. Without these encumbrances on the police, this figure would be much higher, even double. Current drug driving is seen in those proactive police forces as equal to or worse than drink driving, and in some forces 2 to 3 times worse. These serious systematic issues are for a different forum.

4. However, the main point I am making for this inquiry is the effect on society from illegal drug use... and then choosing to drive. Subsequently having a collision and injuring, seriously injuring, or even as is all too common, killing someone. The last government estimate was over 200 fatalities a year were due to drug driving and this was assessed as ‘likely being a significant underestimate.’

5. Many innocent people’s lives are changed due to the thoughtless acts of taking drugs, and maybe alcohol, and then choosing to drive.

6. Does the committee know that due to these delays in processing the confirmation bloods, drivers are still at liberty to continue driving, and in many cases be caught again for exactly the same offence? Cheshire Police had one driver at 8 arrests before the blood result came back to allow charging and a court date?

7. Does the committee know that if someone decides to contest the arrest/charge, that it can give them another 6 to 12 months driving whilst awaiting a court date?

8. Harry’s Law is currently petitioning parliament to change this and allow removal of or suspend the driver’s licence whilst awaiting processing or court date.

9. Does the committee know that if an officer screens and finds alcohol at the roadside, they will just proceed on that drink drive charge because it can lead to confirmation in the police station and a court date and ban in a matter of weeks. If the officer was to involve a drug screen which then requires a blood sample, this process not only adds a £1,000 cost to the force but also adds the above 6 or more months delay whilst they continue driving and offending.

10. Once again this ‘drink drive only’ seriously under records the drug drive situation.

11. As examples.

12. In 2021, North Wales Police published their 1,000 drink and drug prosecution. 392 drink drive and 598 drug drive.

13. In 2019, Cumbria Police had 577 drink and 561 drugs, so near parity. In 2020 they had 437 drink and 883 drugs. A 50% increase in drug drive arrests but more than twice the level of drugs over drink.

14. In 2019 Merseyside Police had 50% of their 2,000 plus drug drivers being either people who drove for their work, or were driving at work at the time of arrest!

15. Why is the workplace not enforced to actually perform testing for drink and drugs, especially on their drivers? The HSE has published some (very weak) guidance, stopping at discussing drink and drugs at work. These organisations should all be getting the guidance about the significant size of the drug driving problem, and the severity of the consequences of a drug drive collision.

16. Government, DfT, DVSA, HO, NPCC figures on drug driving are years behind the curve, and woefully inadequate in their collection and accuracy. If we had god data, this would highlight the true magnitude of the drug drive problem in this country.

17. Drug Driving and the consequences of those that chose to drug drive ARE a serious problem in society, causing death and serious life changing injuries. We have some traffic police left in this country to enforce the law and make people think twice before driving a car after taking drugs.

18. We have the capability to create a credible deterrent, reduce injury and save many lives.

Ean Lewin.

Managing Director

D.tec International Ltd.

February 2022