Exclusive: breathalyser tests expose

After a record number of drunk driving arrests during the last long weekend in KwaZulu-Natal, The Independent on Saturday decided to conduct tests on three commercial breathalysers and the official "Drager" unit.

The test results revealed that it took five Black Label beers to get one of our test subjects over the legal limit while the other had still not reached the legal limit after having six Castle Lites.

In light of these tests a Durban district surgeon is concerned that drivers who are incapable of driving are still able to beat the breathalyser at roadblocks.

During the last long weekend 192 drivers were arrested for drinking and driving in KwaZulu-Natal.

A total of 19 taxi drivers with taxi loads of commuters were among those arrested for drunken driving.

Durban Metro Police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Thozamile Tyala said some drivers were more than five times over the limit of 0.05g (0.24 mg/l).

Tyala said it was even more frightening that taxi drivers who were supposed to adhere to the legal limit of 0.02g (0.11 mg/l) had also been well over the limit.

"Similarly, we had some taxi drivers who we caught driving with a full load of passengers. This is indeed sad as these commuters' lives are being put into the hands of these irresponsible drivers."

Durban District Surgeon Dr Mike van Schalkwyk said it was "frightening" that some people were able to consume large amounts of alcohol and still be under the legal limit.

"It is indeed strange but true that some motorists are able to drink a six pack of beers without testing illegal. It is a shocking reality."

- The Independent

Cut cannabis use by selling it at the post office: expert

CANNABIS would be sold legally in post offices in packets that warn against its effects under a proposal outlined by the head of a Sydney drug and alcohol clinic.

The director of the alcohol and drug service at St Vincent's Hospital, Alex Wodak, said Australia needed to learn from the tobacco industry and the US Prohibition era in coming to terms with his belief that cannabis use would replace cigarette consumption over the next decade. "The general principal is that it's not sustainable that we continue to give criminals and corrupt police a monopoly to sell a drug that is soon going to be consumed by more people than tobacco," he said.

"I don't want to see that [industry] fall into the hands of tobacco companies or rapacious businessmen.

"I'd like to see it fall into the hands of the failed business people Australia seems so good at producing or the Australia Post that seems so successful in driving away customers."

He made the proposal for taxed and legalised cannabis at the Mardi Grass festival in Nimbin on Sunday, but said he would be happy to express his opinion to the Federal Government. A spokesman for the Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, said the proposal would not be considered.

Experts in the fields of drug and law enforcement yesterday opposed the suggestion, saying there was insufficient evidence that legalisation would not increase harmful use or lead to other law enforcement issues.

"It's really going beyond the evidence to say regulatory control would effectively reduce adverse effects," said a deputy director of the National Drug Research Institute, Simon Lenton. "We don't know what the effects would be."

Dr Wodak believed his idea could reduce cannabis consumption, based on comparisons between consumption in Amsterdam and San Francisco. He said regulated availability would also reduce people's exposure to other illicit drugs when buying the product. His model would make cannabis advertising illegal, ban political donations from the cannabis industry, and demand proof of age on purchase.

He chose Australia Post for distribution as it could be regulated and had branches across the country. "What I'm talking about is not pro-cannabis … it's about reducing cannabis harm." - Sydney Morning Herald