A new testing kit which detects whether a driver is under the influence of cannabis has been approved for police use, the Home Office has revealed.
The kit, which will be used at police stations nationwide, will be used to analyse a mouth swab for traces of cannabis, removing the need to have a doctor take a blood sample for analysis.
Getting a doctor to the police station to perform a blood test takes time -- this means that the drugs may have left the suspect's body by the time the blood test is carried out. Under the new system, a positive saliva test will allow officers to ask for a blood sample without seeking medical approval.
A prosecution can only be made on the basis of the blood sample -- the saliva test alone is insufficient.
During 2011, at least 640 accidents and 49 road deaths were caused by drug drivers using either legal or illegal substances.
Under new Government plans, drug driving is set to become a specific criminal offence, with offenders facing up to six months in prison, a fine of up to £5,000 and a driving ban of at least a year.
New tests are also being developed to test for the presence of a variety of different drugs.
