If you’re a cocaine user in South Australia look out. Police will soon be able to catch you if you take a hit and then drive, when cocaine is added to the list of substances detectable in roadside drug testing.
Like some other states and territories around the nation, South Australia currently doesn’t detect cocaine in random roadside drug testing. It’s only methamphetamines, cannabis and ecstasy (MDMA) that police are able to detect. But that’s all about to change in early 2025 when cocaine is added to the list.
In a South Australia Police media release, Commissioner of Police Grant Stevens said cocaine has no place on our roads. He adds its use stimulates and speeds up the brain and has a serious impact on a person’s ability to drive safely.
“We know that consumption of cocaine can lead to overconfidence and aggression, reduced inhibition, increased risk-taking behaviours, agitation and loss of concentration, delusion, and affected vision, all traits you don’t want in a person driving,” Commissioner Stevens said.
“In 2023, 31 lives lost and 112 serious injuries on South Australian roads were due to a driver or rider testing positive to drugs” Commissioner Stevens said. “The number of serious crashes involving drivers with cocaine has increased in the past five years. Between 2018 and 2023, cocaine was implicated in nine fatal crashes – this is unacceptable. It is crucial that drug testing includes cocaine to keep these dangerous drivers from our roads.”
Random roadside drug testing has been in operation in South Australia since 1 July 2006 and up to 50,000 tests are conducted each year.
“The new drug test will reinforce our existing capabilities and become the new norm for our random drug testing campaigns, including the blitz operations conducted throughout the year,” Commissioner Stevens added.
Acting Minister for Police Susan Close said the expanded test would help save lives and remove more dangerous drivers from the road immediately.
“This sends an even clearer message to those who choose to use drugs and put others at risk behind the wheel,” Minister Close said.
South Australia joins Queensland and other states
South Australia will become the second state in less than two years to add cocaine to its random roadside drug testing. Queensland was the other state, which made the initiative in July 2023.
In the first nearly six months after cocaine was added to roadside drug testing in Queensland, hundreds of drivers were caught with the drug in their system. Between 7 July 2023 and 31 December 2023, 322 were caught in drug testing with cocaine in their system.
Despite these results and the dangers of having cocaine in your system when driving, most states don’t test for the drug. NSW is the only other state that includes cocaine in roadside drug testing. They have been detecting drivers for cocaine since 2018.
It should be noted that currently in South Australia (and in other parts of Australia) you can still land in trouble by taking cocaine and then driving. The point of difference is that cocaine isn’t detected in standard roadside drug testing. It can only be detected through testing in hospitals, usually when drivers involved in a fatal or serious injuries are tested.
How widely is cocaine used in South Australia?
There’s little doubt that cocaine is a dangerous drug, particularly when the user drives, goes to work or does another activity where safety is a priority. But just how widely is cocaine used?
National data shows that just over 11 per cent of Australians have tried cocaine at least once in their lives. Meanwhile, around 4.2 per cent have used the drug in the past 12 months. However, there are indications the drug’s use is on the rise.
The latest National Wastewater Drug Monitoring report has revealed that the national average cocaine consumption for capital cities and regional areas was at the highest level since reporting began in August 2016. The increase in cocaine seizures also indicates it is a readily available drug in our community.
Note: It’s worth noting that Integrity Sampling does detect cocaine in its workplace drug testing, across South Australia and the rest of the nation.
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South Australia is set to add cocaine to the list of drugs that can be detected in random roadside drug testing.