Motorists could face ‘mandatory’ driving ban for road offences under tougher laws
New, stricter driving laws in Jersey could see drivers banned from the road for being under the influence of drugs.
The reforms will give police the power to carry out roadside drug tests and impose limits for cannabis in a driver’s bloodstream using devices similar to a breathalyzer.
A positive result from roadside sweat or saliva test kits can lead to arrest and a blood test at the police station.
Anyone found guilty of driving with drugs over the legal limit could face up to 12 months in prison and a £10,000 fine.
First-time offenders will be banned from driving for 12 months, and those caught repeating the offense within ten years will be banned from driving for three years.
Under current Jersey law, there is no legal limit for legal drug levels in drivers’ blood, while police are not allowed to conduct roadside tests.
Jersey Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan said the changes were needed to tackle the growing problem of drug use by drivers.
Under the proposed new laws, the cannabis limit for the public will be five micrograms per liter of blood; This is more than double the current limit of two micrograms in the UK.
Mr Jehan explained that the new limit for people taking medical cannabis for health reasons is higher.
The five-milligram limit will apply to everyone, whether they have a marijuana prescription or not, but drivers are not required to carry a prescription document under the new system.
However, driving instructors, drivers with a heavy vehicle license or public service vehicle license will face a lower limit of two micrograms. Any driver over the legal alcohol limit will also face a two microgram limit for drugs in the bloodstream.
Jersey Police Chief Robin Smith told a review panel: “I’m more [drugs] “more on alcohol than me because it’s harder to detect,” as reported by Great Britain News.
If the law becomes law, ministers could potentially add other controlled substances to the legal limits in the future.
Campaigners have criticized the proposed changes, arguing they could unfairly penalize patients who consume legal medical cannabis.
Simon Harrison of End Cannabis Prohibition said: Great Britain News: “There is no medical defense in law for those who use medicinal cannabis and may inadvertently go over the limit despite following prescription instructions, and this is taken into account in the UK and Guernsey legislation, but not the Jersey legislation”.
The proposals have been recorded in the State Greffe and will be discussed by the State Assembly from 24 March.
