The presence of drugs in urine should not be a determinant for recognizing drug intoxication.
Tactical plan for achieving strategic goals ENPUD 2024-2026
IT'S NOT ABOUT URINE!
The root of the problem: the current approach to certification is based largely on the presence/absence of drug metabolites in urine samples. In examinations, tests for 10-15 types of psychoactive substances are used; in fact, there are many more types and forms of psychoactive substances.
We know many examples where people were definitely not in a position to drive adequately, but the test systems wouldn’t detect new psychoactive substances (usually synthetic stimulants) because they have not kept up with the “abundance” of new types and forms of synthetic substances.
Negative consequences of an approach to track drug metabolites in urine:
- encourages people to use riskier substances that are not detected by urine drug tests to examine drivers; and creates “gaps” in the traffic control, regulation and safety system
- the presence of drugs in urine is used by dishonest law enforcement officials to blackmail; extort bribes; and pressure human rights defenders in the community of people who use drugs.
It's all about reaction speed and proper situational awareness!
ENPUD's February 2024 General Community Meeting decided to change the approach to examining drivers who use psychoactive substances, including medical drugs, for their ability to drive safely for themselves and for others.
The experts of the ENPUD Drug Policy Council initiated the process of development and subsequent implementation of ENPUD SafeDrive Mob App - as an alternative way of testing the drivers' state of driving.
Why ENPUD SafeDrive mob app?
The ENPUD SafeDrive mobile application is designed to assess the cognitive and physical ability to drive at any given moment of time. The program will allow the user to perform a self-test and receive a recommendation as to whether he/she can drive safely at the moment or whether she/he should avoid driving.
We propose to focus on determining the driver's reaction speed to emerging hazards and the correctness of the driver's assessment of the surrounding environment.
ENPUD SafeDrive Mob App will allow for more effective and fair regulation of road safety from various perspectives, including assessment not of the fact of drivers' use of medical drugs and psychoactive substances, but of their impact on reaction and attention at a given moment in time.
Who is ENPUD SafeDrive Mob App for?
for people who use psychoactive substances, including prescribed medications, ENPUD SafeDrive Mob App is a self-testing tool before driving;
for our governments: to use the ENPUD SafeDrive Mob App as an alternative to urine testing as a driver assessment tool.
Goals and objectives of the development:
- Provide female and male users with the ability to objectively and quickly assess their driving ability at a given time.
- Implement a recommendation mechanism based on test results indicating whether the user can drive safely or should refrain from driving.
- Develop game-based learning elements to improve users' cognitive and physical performance, increasing their awareness and readiness to drive safely.
ENPUD Community Values in Practice:
The creation of a new online program for self-testing/testing of drivers who use psychoactive substances, including medical drugs, should consider all aspects, including testing accuracy, ethical standards, confidentiality, training capabilities, and affordability.
A reliability tool to help us not only objectively assess our readiness to perform complex tasks such as driving, but also to improve our cognitive and motor functions, thereby improving our safety and quality of life.
In negotiations with investors, we emphasize that the ENPUD SafeDrive Mobile App program should be available to a wide audience, regardless of financial status, which will ensure its high social value and utility.
What has been done?
- Based on an analysis of existing international practices (5 internationally recognized studies were reviewed; study materials are in the appendix to this report) of online self-testing programs that are most appropriate in terms of similarity for people who use psychoactive substances, including medical drugs, a desk review was conducted with recommendations on the possibility of adapting or creating and evaluating a new online program - a person's ability to drive a vehicle at a given time.
- A description of the expected self-testing program is made, where the creation of a new online program for self-testing of people who use psychoactive substances, including medical drugs, seems to be the most feasible solution, and the main goal is to provide users with a tool for objective assessment of cognitive and motor abilities at a given time, which will help to make informed decisions about readiness to perform tasks requiring high concentration and coordination, such as driving a car.
- A detailed draft Terms of Reference for the development of a SafeDrive mobile application was created and described, taking into account the timeline, necessary technical requirements for security, performance and other technical features, and the goals and objectives - to develop such an application.
For example, in the United States and in many other industrialized countries around the world, driving is an integral part of daily life and correlates with independence and access to employment and social activities, which is an important step in the treatment of people who use psychoactive substances and our socialization into society.
It is known that driving a motor vehicle requires concentration, skill and the ability to assess the situation in order to ensure the safety of one's actions.
The important point here is the drivers' reaction speed to the emerging danger and the correct assessment of the surrounding situation. However, unlike the issue of driving under the influence of alcohol, the authorities of the countries have not yet developed effective control measures for the use of psychoactive substances (psychoactive substances) while driving, both at the legislative level and in practice, unlike for alcohol users, which, in our opinion, is completely unfair and discriminatory to people who use psychoactive substances and medical drugs.
Today it is very difficult, and in road conditions practically impossible, to establish the fact of the driver's use of a psychoactive substance or any of the drugs, as up to now the full list of chemical substances that can affect the driver and how exactly they affect the driver has not been defined.
Considering that the individual human response to psychoactive substances/medical drugs can be due to several factors, including: the body's addiction to psychoactive substances/medical drugs; genetic predisposition; the type and/or mixture of different psychoactive substances with alcohol, etc.
We note that the existing classifications of the effects of psychoactive substances on driving ability are not exhaustive. Testing for a psychoactive substance in the body appears to be difficult, except for alcohol. Some psychoactive substances can be detected with an indicator tube. Blood or urine tests provide more detailed information, but implementing this in a roadside setting is difficult.
A way out of this situation could be the work of - Southern California Research Institute (SCRI)- A research organization that conducted the first two studies that resulted in the creation of the Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST).
These measures are necessary for us for several reasons, so people using of psychoactive substances including cannabis can be in most cases quite skillfully and adequately able to drive a car at the moment, but the examination procedure carried out in most countries (in parallel with our analysis) used at the moment in our region (rapid tests, usually by urine, determine up to 28 days), will show that the person has metabolites of cannabis in the urine and in most cases the laboratory specialists write a conclusion – drug intoxication, which is tantamount to a driver's license revocation. At the moment though, the driver's reaction speed and attention span are within normal limits. This unfair approach also applies to other types of psychoactive substances, to which the test systems may react for 5-8-12 days, which may also confirm the fact of use, but is not a reason to conclude that the vehicle cannot be driven.
Second, we see the region successfully implementing and expanding opioid substitution maintenance treatment (OST) programs and participants' problems with driving are echoed throughout the region impacting daily life, gaining independence, accessing employment and community activities. While most countries with progressive policies, with the right dosage of opioid substitution maintenance medication see no reason to prohibit driving.
Possible application limitations of ENPUD SafeDrive Mob App:
Presence of psychoactive substances in road traffic accident tests: mandatory blood tests for drivers admitted to hospital after a road traffic accident that results in injuries (regardless of fault); and is usually a contributing aggravating factor.
In this situation, an alternative or substitute system aimed at testing a driver's balance, coordination or ability to distribute his/her attention between tasks is not yet feasible due to the possibility of shock when involved in an accident in whatever role he/she is in.
It is also difficult to predict how psycho vestibular testing will fare at this time, as people who use of psychoactive substances, due to years of repressive drug policies, experience anxiety when encountering police officers, which can skew test results.
What's to come?
• Community mobilization through ENPUD's Position on the need to change the focus of testing from urine composition to a person's ability to drive.
• Building an evidence base by expanding partnerships to change the approach to assessing the driving ability of people who use psychoactive substances.
• Searching for and establishing contacts with relevant cross-sectoral groups (Parliament, Presidential Office, Government, etc.) of each ENPUD country and at the international level.
• Engaging trusted partners to invest in the development, testing and creation of a tool, the ENPUD SafeDrive Mob App.
Communication with the ENPUD Community – Этот адрес электронной почты защищен от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.
Этот адрес электронной почты защищен от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.
ENPUD_Report with research on driving_En.pdf
ENPUD_TOR for the development of a mobile driving app_En.pdf
Research_mob_programs_details_En.pdf
