Anyone admitted to an Australian hospital after a car accident will now be tested for drugs. The mandatory testing is part of a new zero tolerance policy implemented by law enforcement.

"Each road-related casualty admitted to hospital, previously only screened for alcohol, will be tested for cannabis, ecstasy and amphetamines.

The State Government has bankrolled the $4 million blood screening project and police expect it to lead to hundreds more drug driving convictions every year. [Source: The (Melbourne) Herald-Sun]

The move comes in the wake of revelations that one in five people killed in car accidents last year were under the influence of drugs.

Labels: laws, australia, dui

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According to an Oct. 19 article by Lauren Zwaans and Ben Harvy of the Australian news website Adelaide Now, alcoholic drinks at many area clubs are so expensive that teenagers are turning to drugs -- and drug dealers are making the most of it:

Cheap illegal drugs bought at a fraction of the cost of nightclub alcohol are luring teenage partygoers into the dangers of substance abuse, experts warn. ...

Some clubs are charging premium admission prices to compensate for lost alcohol sales. ...

Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia director of drug monitoring Jason White said the exploitation by dealers of the gap between the price of alcohol and illegal drugs was concerning. "The relative cost of alcohol at some venues compared to the cost of an ecstasy tablet means that some people regard ecstasy as a better way to spend their money," he said.

Club owners told Adelaide Now theyve also noted increases in the use of cocaine and LSD.

Labels: drug use, alcohol, australia

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