SALIVA TESTS TO LICK DRUG-DRIVING

In a world first, Victorian police will start using saliva swabs to
randomly test drivers for drugs.

Inspector Martin Boorman, head of Victoria Police's traffic and
alcohol section, said the random drug testing would begin in a matter
of weeks "as soon as possible after the tender for the technology to
test drivers is finalised".

Police will test drivers for traces of cannabis and methamphetamine,
known as "speed" and used by long-haul road transport drivers to stop
them falling asleep at the wheel.

Methamphetamine is also sold in crudely cut street mixes of party
drugs such as ecstasy. It stays in the system for up to eight hours.

The saliva swabs will also detect THC - the active metabolite in
cannabis - which stays in the system for up to three hours after use.

The Victoria Police policy will be zero tolerance on both drugs.

"Research has shown both these drugs significantly reduce a driver's
psycho-motor skills," Inspector Boorman said.

He said other police forces around the nation would be "watching
pretty closely" to see how the Victorian initiative worked.

"It's also a world first in that it's a random test. That's the
significant difference," he said.

Other countries already drug-test drivers but can only do so if they
have come under "reasonable suspicion", Inspector Boorman said. The
saliva test will take a little longer than the breath test drivers
undergo for alcohol. It may be done at the same time or independently
of breath testing.

Police have for some time sought powers to randomly drug-test drivers.
The Bracks Government passed the legislation last December, to be
enacted from July 1.

A 10-year study by professor Olaf Drummer, head of the Victorian
Institute of Forensic Medicine, has shown 20 to 26 per cent of drivers
who died in accidents on roads in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia
were affected by drugs.

"In the last three years there has been a significant climb in the
(drug- affected) total in Victoria," Inspector Boorman said.

VIFM figures for 2001 show 22 per cent of Victorian fatalities were
caused by drivers being under the influence of alcohol compared to 29
per cent who were drug-affected. Last year the figures rose to 27 per
cent and 31 per cent respectively.

"Drugs and driving are becoming a real problem on the road, reflecting
the increased use of drugs over the last 10 years," he said. "We're
seeing more and more drug-related road trauma."

Police say there will be no need for blood samples to be taken from
drivers affected by drugs unless - as is the case with alcohol breath
testing - there is some reason a saliva swab cannot be provided.

The Bracks Government has fully funded the random drug tests on a
12-month trial basis.