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Belgian Police to Enhance Drug Testing for Drivers, Including Ketamine
Belgian police are working towards more complete drug testing for drivers, addressing a gap in current roadside screening methods. While existing speekseltests (saliva tests) can detect cannabis, amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstasy (MDMA), cocaine, and opioids, they currently cannot identify ketamine – a drug whose use has been increasing in recent years.
When a driver tests positive for any of the detectable substances via the initial speekseltest, police collect a second sample for laboratory analysis.this lab testing *can* detect ketamine, and in the past year, approximately 500 cases of ketamine use in traffic have been identified through this process.
Ketamine’s Impact on Driving
Toxicologist Jan Tytgat of KU Leuven explains that ketamine impairs driving ability. “Ketamine is a fast-acting anesthetic and pain reliever,” Tytgat stated. “However, it puts the driver into a state where actions and reactions are no longer adequate to safely operate a vehicle.”
Current Enforcement and Limitations
Stef Willems of Vias institute emphasizes that the absence of ketamine detection in the initial speekseltest doesn’t mean impunity. “If individuals exhibit outward signs of ketamine use, they are often considered to be in a state of intoxication. Based on this, police can remove them from traffic and issue substantial fines.”
New Testing on the Horizon
A reliable roadside test for ketamine is under development, but is not expected to be available until the summer of 2027.
‘Weekend Without Alcohol and Drugs Behind the Wheel’ campaign
Currently, a nationwide
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