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Ive just joined a pain relief forum as I am experiencing some nausea problems with the Bu-Trans patches I have been wearing and read a post on 'Drug Driving', and it seems it may impact on others here that are taking any strong pain relief meds especially opiates like codeine, tramadol etc.
Following the death of a young girl who was killed by a young driver high on cannabis in Croydon the girls family have petitioned that a new law (Lillian's Law) be brought in to prosecute those who drive under the influence of drugs.
http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/Adv ... story.html
Now this raises serious questions for anyone like me who currently takes prescription pain relief medication, especially where warnings are given on the packaging of said drugs "If you feel drowsy - do not drive or operate heavy machinery" a common caution on anything from day nurse to morphine. This could mean someone being tested roadside using a saliva test, perhaps following a blameless accident, would then be arrested and taken to a police station were a blood test etc etc, failure to give a specimen would also be an offence just as it is with alcohol testing.
Now from a personal point of view I feel perfectly fit to drive most of the time although on days when I do get the nausea and sickness which is common with opiates it does definitely make me feel generally 'under par' and I would choose to leave the house anyway let alone drive anywhere.
So if the proposed new law goes through it could mean a jail term for anyone found driving with strong pain killers in their blood, quite how the police and judicial system will decide who is fit to drive and who isnt is not yet clear, as it is up to the individual to make that decision at present. Now it is terrible when young lives or any lives for that matter are taken by irresponsible drivers who blatantly flaunt the law and drive under the influence of drink or drugs whether recreational or the abuse of prescription drugs which I understand is not uncommon, but the current law already allows for anyone causing death by dangerous driving to receive a sentence of up to 14 years in jail, so why the need for change? Surely it just needs the current laws to be properly policed and more importantly harsher sentences served by our judges/magistrates to anyone who drives under the influence of recreational drugs, I am quite sure that those on prescribed medication are perfectly OK to drive unless told not to by their doctor or the DVLA but they will still be caught up by this catch all new law.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/new ... -laws.html
My own pain releif has been built up steadily over 20+ years from the usual paracetamol, ibuprofen and co-codomol through tramadol, gabapintin, pregabalin, amitriptyline and codeine before being prescribed the Bu Trans patches so have built up a certain immunity to opiates over many years, so in my eyes I know I am perfectly fit to drive 99% of the time and when I do feel under par I would not drive anyway but it does worry me that this law could see me lose my licence.
With the above in mind here are some links that some members here may find useful.
Strong pain killers and driving - http://www.rowcrofthospice.org.uk/web/d ... _web-1.pdf
Info on pain relief meds - http://www.painsupport.co.uk/enewsletter/toolkit.pdf
Following the death of a young girl who was killed by a young driver high on cannabis in Croydon the girls family have petitioned that a new law (Lillian's Law) be brought in to prosecute those who drive under the influence of drugs.
http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/Adv ... story.html
Now this raises serious questions for anyone like me who currently takes prescription pain relief medication, especially where warnings are given on the packaging of said drugs "If you feel drowsy - do not drive or operate heavy machinery" a common caution on anything from day nurse to morphine. This could mean someone being tested roadside using a saliva test, perhaps following a blameless accident, would then be arrested and taken to a police station were a blood test etc etc, failure to give a specimen would also be an offence just as it is with alcohol testing.
Now from a personal point of view I feel perfectly fit to drive most of the time although on days when I do get the nausea and sickness which is common with opiates it does definitely make me feel generally 'under par' and I would choose to leave the house anyway let alone drive anywhere.
So if the proposed new law goes through it could mean a jail term for anyone found driving with strong pain killers in their blood, quite how the police and judicial system will decide who is fit to drive and who isnt is not yet clear, as it is up to the individual to make that decision at present. Now it is terrible when young lives or any lives for that matter are taken by irresponsible drivers who blatantly flaunt the law and drive under the influence of drink or drugs whether recreational or the abuse of prescription drugs which I understand is not uncommon, but the current law already allows for anyone causing death by dangerous driving to receive a sentence of up to 14 years in jail, so why the need for change? Surely it just needs the current laws to be properly policed and more importantly harsher sentences served by our judges/magistrates to anyone who drives under the influence of recreational drugs, I am quite sure that those on prescribed medication are perfectly OK to drive unless told not to by their doctor or the DVLA but they will still be caught up by this catch all new law.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/new ... -laws.html
My own pain releif has been built up steadily over 20+ years from the usual paracetamol, ibuprofen and co-codomol through tramadol, gabapintin, pregabalin, amitriptyline and codeine before being prescribed the Bu Trans patches so have built up a certain immunity to opiates over many years, so in my eyes I know I am perfectly fit to drive 99% of the time and when I do feel under par I would not drive anyway but it does worry me that this law could see me lose my licence.
With the above in mind here are some links that some members here may find useful.
Strong pain killers and driving - http://www.rowcrofthospice.org.uk/web/d ... _web-1.pdf
Info on pain relief meds - http://www.painsupport.co.uk/enewsletter/toolkit.pdf