Strypey

#ChrisFowlie goes all through a list of false positives that can occur with the government's proposed roadside drug testing tech;

"Speaking of going to the dentist, if you have some lidocaine you'll test positive for cocaine. If you're on a painkiller of some sort, you'll test positive for heroin. If you're on Ritalin you'll test positive for meth."

https://feeds.95bfm.com/link/22115/16924333/marijuana-media-thanks-to-the-hempstore-thursday-19-2024

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#podcasts #95bFM #MarijuanaMedia #DrugDriving #RoadsideTesting

Marijuana Media Thanks to The Hempstore : Thursday 19, 2024

This week on Marijuana Media, Chris joins Milly to chat developments in the roadside drug testing policies, our ageing population on weed, what not to use as fertilizer, and Elton John's opinon on legalized marijuana is put in the superstar spotlight! Thanks to The Hempstore!

95bFM
Dec 19, 2024 at 11:20pmWeb
Show threadStrypeyDec 19, 2024

"It goes on. If you're prescribed sleeping pills you'll test positive to benzodiazepines. So as well as the inaccuracy of the test, you also get these false positives to other substances."

#ChrisFowlie, 2024

https://feeds.95bfm.com/link/22115/16924333/marijuana-media-thanks-to-the-hempstore-thursday-19-2024

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Marijuana Media Thanks to The Hempstore : Thursday 19, 2024

This week on Marijuana Media, Chris joins Milly to chat developments in the roadside drug testing policies, our ageing population on weed, what not to use as fertilizer, and Elton John's opinon on legalized marijuana is put in the superstar spotlight! Thanks to The Hempstore!

95bFM
Show threadStrypeyDec 19, 2024

Chris also mentioned that the #NZGreens are fighting tooth and nail against the amendment to the Land Transport Act that would bring in this highly dodgy testing. On the basis that it violates a bunch of basic civil liberties.

Another good sign for their return to a focus on universal human rights and freedoms. On top of Kahurangi Taylor's bill on protecting satire from copyright SLAPPs, and Marama Davidson's Right to Repair bill, this makes the trifecta.

Keep fighting the good fight!

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Show threada fading echoMay 29, 2025

@strypey

Most sleeping pills are Benzodiazepines.
So a test _should_ be positive for presence of them or active metabolites. It isn't a false positive.

The level, and the degree of effect, `are then worth establishing or arguing about.

I'd assume the existence of a prescription would be a substantial assistance to the driver.

Show threadStrypeyMay 29, 2025

@midgephoto
> I'd assume the existence of a prescription would be a substantial assistance to the driver

You'd assume wrong. AFAIK that can only be introduced as a defence once you're in court. For taking prescription medicine that a dodgy screening test has misidentified.

Show threada fading echoMay 30, 2025

@strypey

IANAL, but I'd expect it to be asked for, examined if necessary, and considered well before court, as in being indications not to take someone to court if they were not clearly unsafe driving.

And, if someone is taking a prescription sleeping tablet, which _will_ be a Benzodiazepine, they _will_ be impaired to some extent*, and a test which identifies the presence of Benzo metabolites will not have been dodgy in doing so.

* How much is another matter.

Show threada fading echoMay 30, 2025

@strypey

On the question of how much, military pilots relocated are regarded as more impaired by the lack of sleep than they will be the day after a single small dose of a rapid offsetting Benzodiazepine that got them to sleep.

So the compounds are used if needed.

But giving someone their first dose of Diazepam and putting them in a fast jet is clearly likely to end badly.

In between and in cars, is a matter for Parliaments and Courts and policed.

Drive safely. Please leave it now.

Show threada fading echoMay 29, 2025

@strypey

Lidocaine has a similarity to cocaine, but chemistry that distinguishes them will be available, as will a record of administration in your dental records, and the level would be interesting.

I do not think Paracetamol or Aspirin or Ibuprofen will cross-react with any sensible test for Dia/Morphine, but Codeine should. As might bread rolls with poppy seed. These are screening tests, I think, a negative result is useful, a positive may lead to another test.

Show threadStrypeyMay 29, 2025

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@midgephoto
> chemistry that distinguishes them will be available

... but is not picked up by the test the govt are telling the cops to use.

> as will a record of administration in your dental records

Unless you're proposing that cops at testing points have access to our dental records, this wouldn't be helpful until you wind up in court.

The point is a test *known* to be unreliable makes you guilty until proven innocent. It's fundamentally unjust, and for what?

Show threadStrypeyMay 29, 2025

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Most cases "drug driving", if not all, include alcohol. I've seen no significant evidence that there's even a problem to be solved here that isn't addressed by existing alcohol screening. Using tests that are *reliable*.

Show threada fading echoMay 29, 2025

@strypey
"Reliable" is complicated. If you had used "quantitative" it would be simpler (the tests are not, very, hence blood tests following positive tests for ethanol.)

But I suspect you'd be inclined to rely on a set of negative tests to exclude the use of any or some of the drug classes you list.

You missed the point with the prescriptions and records. The police don't need access, but you might introduce them in defence.