<drug-watch-international@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Maggie Petito – mlp3@starpower.net – 09 January 2026 13:47
This reportage derives from a UK newspaper item – published in the The London Telegraph on 09 January 2026 – -by Charles Hymas Home Affairs Editor and Meike Eijsberg Data journalist
Starmer accused of ignoring more significant safety issue while planning to cut drinking limit for motorists
Drugs are now a bigger factor in road deaths than alcohol, official figures show.
The number of deceased drivers who tested positive for drugs increased by 78 per cent, from 106 to 189, in the decade to 2023, according to the Department for Transport (DfT) and police data.
By contrast, the number of dead motorists with alcohol proved to be present in their system rose by 5 per cent in the same period, from 162 to 171.
Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, now stands accused of ignoring the bigger problem of drug-driving while planning to reduce the drink-driving limit, which critics fear will “strangle” struggling pubs.
The Government’s proposals have prompted a backlash from MPs and publicans, who say the move will put pubs under more pressure following an increase in business rates.
Britain lost an average of one pub each day in 2025, and industry bosses have warned that rising tax bills and wages, on top of higher energy costs, will drive hundreds more out of business.
The Telegraph has launched a campaign to save the nation’s pubs, calling on Labour to stop its assault on Britain’s locals, and to cut tax and red tape.
Ministers are now expected to announce a climbdown, saying they are working on relief measures to be announced in the coming days. But the about-turn relates to jumps in business rates for landlords, not the new drink-drive limit.
DfT figures show that the percentage of fatal collisions in which drink-driving was involved has been relatively stable over the past 10 years, at 13 per cent.
However, the proportion in which drug-driving played a role has doubled from 5 per cent in 2014 to 10 per cent in 2023.
While drug-driving convictions rose by 13.5 per cent in 2024 to 27,000, the number of drivers convicted of drink-driving offences fell by 6 per cent to 36,415.
Meanwhile, injuries from drink-driving incidents have significantly decreased since 1980, from around 20,000 annually to about 5,000 since 2020.
Despite this, the Government’s new road strategy proposes “taking tougher action on drink-driving” by reducing the legal limit of 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg, or around a pint.
It would be the most significant reform to road safety laws since 1967, when the blood alcohol limit was first introduced.
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: “Labour are now proposing even more measures that will endanger country pubs.
“At the same time, the Government is completely failing to do more to address a more rapidly growing road safety issue – drug-driving. More drivers killed in a collision had drugs in their system than alcohol.
“The Government should prioritise toughening up on drug-drivers above measures which will strangle struggling country pubs.”
‘Further pressure’ on pubs
The British Beer and Pub Association warned that any toughening of measures on drink-driving would harm rural pubs in areas without public transport or reliable taxi services.
A spokesman said: “The pub sector continues to face huge challenges, so any additional policy measures that further impact trade will be of real concern to licensees, especially those in rural areas.”
Drug-drivers face similar penalties as those caught drinking, including a minimum 12-month driving ban and up to six months in prison for serious or repeat offences.
Limits for illegal drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, ketamine and heroin are set at extremely low levels, but not at zero, to account for accidental exposure.
However, Government-funded research has suggested that dangerous drug-drivers have been escaping prosecution – and putting lives at risk – because some police forces ration the number of testing kits issued to officers to just one a day.
The study, by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, found there was a “geographical lottery” where the best-performing forces were catching 10 times more drug-drivers per head of population than the worst.
Drivers can also escape justice because of delays of four to five months in processing blood tests. Officers have only six months to prosecute. Dangerous driving penalties to be reviewed
The Government’s new road safety strategy proposes that there should be a review of penalties and mandatory training for drink and drug-driving offences.
It has also pledged to explore alternative processing and evidence collection for drug-driving to “improve speed of results, supporting more robust enforcement outcomes.”
A DfT spokesman said the strategy would “save thousands of lives by targeting the root causes of deaths, including the impact of both alcohol and drugs”.
They added: “We’re determined to crack down on drug-driving, and the strategy includes new measures to modernise how we tackle it, including new testing methods, and powers to suspend driving licenses for those caught under the influence.
“We do not expect the new limit to harm pubs; experience in Scotland shows such changes have minimal impact on local businesses while making roads safer.”
Source: Maggie Petito – mlp3@starpower.net