On Wednesday, the police carried out a major traffic check on the B 30 near Laupheim (Biberach district). The focus: road users who were under the influence of drugs.
In similar checks in the past, alcohol was usually the main focus. Now, after the legalization of cannabis, the police have been targeting road users who are intoxicated behind the wheel.
Several tents, numerous vehicles and even more officers. The police have deployed a lot of resources for the traffic control. After all, the effort required to detect drugs is significantly higher than for alcohol tests. The benchmark is 3.5. This is the limit for THC in nanograms per milliliter of blood when people who have consumed cannabis get behind the wheel. The drug is detected through a urine test. The police also have a mobile toilet on site for this purpose.
I am young and young people like to take drugs
The police first carry out initial checks. After that, suspected road users are asked to take a urine test. Those who are not allowed to drive on straight away are usually young and male. This is also noted by a young driver who says into the SWR microphone: “I’m young and young people like to take drugs. That’s why they thought they’d pull me out.” Another young man thinks the checks are basically a good thing. It ensures that “nobody drives under the influence of drugs.”
With more than one nanogram for the blood test
The only thing that can be determined in urine is whether the THC level is higher than one nanogram. If that is the case, a blood test follows on site. Anyone who has to take a blood test must leave their car behind, because the blood levels can only be determined in the laboratory over the next few days. “A friend is coming to pick me up,” said a young driver after the urine test. He said he smoked cannabis, but did not claim to have felt the drug while driving.
Already hits in the interim balance
After a few hours, the police have not yet finished the traffic check, but have already registered a number of violations. 48 vehicles have been checked so far, and six road users have had to leave their cars for a blood sample. The analysis in the laboratory will show whether they have exceeded the limit of 3.5 nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood.
