An annual music festival held in the Camden area has recently received a lot of attention at Picton Local Court due to a large number of people being charged with driving from the Festival with certain drugs present in their blood.
The much criticised offence of ‘Drive With Illicit Drug Present in Blood’ is becoming more common in our Local Courts despite the fact that the driver of the vehicle does not need to be affected by a drug. The driver only needs to have the drug present in their blood, even in small amounts, which can still occur days after the drugs were consumed.
We have also had cases of a driver being charged with this offence and then, the same driver being pulled in at the same place by the same Police officer the next day, only to be charged again.
This offence carries an automatic period of licence disqualification and as most Police vehicles are now equipped to test drivers for certain drugs such as speed, marijuana and ecstasy, we caution any users of these substances to consider their need for a licence before taking them.
