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Police will do more narcotics testing in traffic

Publication date 28.5.2025 15.00
Type:News item
A hand with a drug test. Cars in the background.
Screening devices enable the detection of alcohol in respiratory air and the detection of narcotics in saliva.

The use of narcotics in traffic is strictly prohibited in Finland, and the legislation is based on zero tolerance for driving under the influence of narcotics. The police are increasing the number of narcotics tests performed in traffic. The condition of the drivers is verified by means of both surveillance campaigns and individual stops.

The police monitor the use of narcotics, alcohol and other intoxicants in traffic. On the basis of the Coercive Measures Act, the police may perform a test on a driver to detect the presence of alcohol or other intoxicants without suspicion of driving under the influence. Screening devices enable the detection of alcohol in respiratory air and the detection of narcotics in saliva. 

Trend in driving under the influence of narcotics and the number of screening tests in Finland

According to statistics, the number of cases of driving under the influence of narcotics reached its peak in 2020, when the number of cases of driving under the influence of narcotics was almost as high as that of driving under the influence of alcohol. Wastewater studies conducted by the National Institute for Health and Welfare also showed an increase in the use of narcotics in 2020. A total of 20,000 screening tests made from saliva were performed in 2020. In recent years, the police have carried out about 17,000 such tests annually. The number of screening tests carried out in Finland is clearly higher than that in other European countries, when the number of tests is proportioned to the size of the population. 

There were clearly less cases of driving under the influence of narcotics in 2024 than in the peak year 2020. The combined total number of tests for driving under the influence of narcotics and alcohol has also decreased from 22,000 to just over 16,000. In early 2025, driving under the influence of narcotics has accounted for about 39% of all cases of driving under the influence of narcotics and alcohol. In 2024, the corresponding share was 34% and the number of cases of driving under the influence of narcotics was about 7,600, which corresponds to the level of 2017.

The effect of narcotics on the ability to drive and on traffic safety

Narcotics affect the ability to drive in many ways, and different narcotics are present in traffic in different ways. Driving errors, aggressive driving or unusual reactions to traffic situations are typical of drivers under the influence of intoxicants, and these traits also attract the attention of the police. On the other hand, the driver may also react significantly more slowly or drive at a speed different from other traffic. Insecurity, the driver’s physical state and appearance can be other signs of intoxication.

Intoxicants in general increase risk-taking in traffic. Narcotics can impair sensory, motor and psychological skills and affect vision. Narcotics that incapacitate the central nervous system slow down the processing of information obtained from the traffic environment, which impairs performance in traffic. Moreover, narcotics can cause hallucinations, which distort the driver’s perceptiveness and increase the risk of accidents.

A driver’s fitness to drive is affected not only by narcotics and alcohol, but also by other intoxicants, fatigue and health issues. The Road Traffic Act requires that a vehicle may not be operated by a person who, due to illness, defect, disability, fatigue or intoxication, lacks the necessary prerequisites for it. This is why the police monitor the driver’s ability to drive as a whole.

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