The State Duma intends to tackle the question of restricting drivers from taking certain medications during the upcoming spring session, as reported by the publication Ascension. This was stated by Alexei Kurin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Health Committee.
According to Kurin, there should be a formal list of drugs that can impact a driver’s reaction time and alertness. He emphasized that the Ministry of Health must determine which medicines, and in what dosages, would be deemed safe for drivers to use.
“Antidepressants vary in their effects. Some can cause drowsiness and slow reaction, while others do not. I do not rule out that dosage could influence this. The Ministry of Health should make that judgment. It is likely that this issue will be resolved in the next session. The list should be comprehensive, clear, and closed, with no commentary even in court,” he remarked.
Last month, the Constitutional Court after a case involving a driver who was not penalized for taking drugs that impaired attention and reaction, which were not linked to ethyl alcohol, narcotic substances, or psychotropic drugs, issued a ruling that affects enforcement in such situations.
In late December, the Ministry of Internal Affairs proposed amendments to Article 12.8 of the Administrative Offenses Code to close a gap in current legislation. The changes would permit sanctions in the form of deprivation of rights and a fine of 30,000 rubles for drivers whose bodies contain substances that appear in certain drug formulations.
Since the Constitutional Court’s decision, a driver cannot be held liable for drunk driving or for refusing a test if their blood or urine contain a drug not listed among psychotropic or narcotic substances, even if those drugs can impair attention and reaction. Substances mentioned include phenazepam, phenibut, gabapentin, and others.