The traffic police chief of Cyprus Spyros Spyrou has announced that the narcotest will become active from January 25 this year.
Speaking at a press conference, the law enforcement officer announced that this measure is being taken to reduce the high number of accidents and deaths on the road. He also showed a demonstration of the test, and said that the police have already been trained to carry the tests out and that the device has been distributed to every city.
The device will give a negative result if the one being tested is not under influence, and positive if it finds traces of cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, methamphetamines or cannabis.
Should the device give a positive result, the officer at the scene will take a saliva sample and send the same to the state laboratory. The state laboratory will then take at most 15 days to find out the drug the driver was under the influence of, after which the case will go to court.
Drivers caught up in such cases face punishment according to their crime, from up to €3,500 in fines, up to a three-years of imprisonment and/or losing their driving licenses till 3 years at most.
Those who refuse to give the saliva tests after they have been tested positive will also be subjected to the same fines.
According to Chief Spyrou, these tests have been introduced to prevent accidents from happening, and not to punish the people without reason. That being said, punishment will be inevitable for those driving while under the influence.
Legislation for the Narcotest first began in March 2016.
