Swedish police want narcotics test for drivers
Swedish police want to introduce an instrument to test drivers suspected of drug use, technology that's already used in some parts of Europe.
The technology, which has been referred to as a narcometre, is already in use around Europe, in countries such as as Denmark, Finland and Belgium.
It works by testing a driver in the same fashion as a breathalyzer. Police explain that more motorists in Sweden are avoiding detection because the measurements are aimed at drunk drivers - not drug takers.
With the narcometre, officers hope to be able to catch those who are passing breathalyzer tests despite being under the influence of drugs.
"We're doing preliminary work, and we hope to be ready to receive tender offers this year," Liselotte Jergard of the Sweden's National Police Board (Rikspolisstyrelsen) told the Sydsvenskan newspaper.
Swedish police currently have no system to quickly measure drug use in motorists. Officers can only use a type of ruler to measure the motorist's pupil dilation, which can be followed by blood tests. Positive results can lead to the driver's licence being revoked.
Technology that is already available in Denmark can detect cannabis, opium, cocaine, benzedrin, amphetamine, methamphetamine and methadone, according to the paper.
The narcometre will be able to detect if a person has smoked marijuana or hashish if measurements are made within a few hours after the drugs are taken, Sydsvenskan wrote.
TT/The Local/og
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The technology, which has been referred to as a narcometre, is already in use around Europe, in countries such as as Denmark, Finland and Belgium.
It works by testing a driver in the same fashion as a breathalyzer. Police explain that more motorists in Sweden are avoiding detection because the measurements are aimed at drunk drivers - not drug takers.
With the narcometre, officers hope to be able to catch those who are passing breathalyzer tests despite being under the influence of drugs.
"We're doing preliminary work, and we hope to be ready to receive tender offers this year," Liselotte Jergard of the Sweden's National Police Board (Rikspolisstyrelsen) told the Sydsvenskan newspaper.
Swedish police currently have no system to quickly measure drug use in motorists. Officers can only use a type of ruler to measure the motorist's pupil dilation, which can be followed by blood tests. Positive results can lead to the driver's licence being revoked.
Technology that is already available in Denmark can detect cannabis, opium, cocaine, benzedrin, amphetamine, methamphetamine and methadone, according to the paper.
The narcometre will be able to detect if a person has smoked marijuana or hashish if measurements are made within a few hours after the drugs are taken, Sydsvenskan wrote.
TT/The Local/og
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