In Merseyside, more than 3 times more drug drivers arrested compared with alcohol cases. 
 
Merseyside Roads Policing Ch Insp Stuart McIver said people "still aren't getting the message". 
 
Between 1 December and 1 January, 360 people were arrested for drug drive related offences, 110 arrested for alcohol related offences and 38 arrested for failure to comply. 
 
"Driving under the influence – whether that's drugs or alcohol – is absolutely not acceptable," Ch Insp McIver said. 
 
"I feel frustrated that, clearly, some people still aren't getting the message." 
 
Operation Limit is a national campaign which runs each year from 1 December to January. 
 
Meanwhile in the south of the country
 
A total of 140 people were arrested for drug driving in December, nearly double the number of drink driving arrests during the same period. 
 
Figures published by Surrey Police as part a month-long winter crackdown on drink and drug driving reveal that officers made 196 arrests -140 for drug driving and 84 for drink driving. 
 
The overlap in numbers accounts for some people being arrested on suspicion of both offences. 
 
Surrey Police said these results show that drug driving is becoming more prominent than drink driving in the county. 
 
As part of Operation Limit, officers conducted increased patrols and set up random stop check sites along busy roads to provide a visible deterrent to offenders. 
 
 

BZE is the non psychoactive metabolite of Cocaine. 

Many UK "Drug Driving" cases are prosecuted as Road Traffic Act Section 5A offences. 
Since 2016 roadside oral fluid tests which are non negative have resulted in blood samples taken and analysed. 
If one or more of 17 drugs is above the specified concentration then this can lead to the driver being charged. 
In these cases, the driver is unimpaired. 
 
Impaired driving through alcohol or drugs is dealt with in other sections of the RTA. 
 
Benzoylecognine is the main metabolite of Cocaine. 
Cocaine is rapidly hydrolysed by the liver and plasma. 
 
There will be a time delay between roadside oral fluid swabbing, and a blood draw at the police station or A&E clinic. 
During this time, the Cocaine blood concentration will be falling and BZE concentration increasing. 
This rate of metabolising is highly specific to the individual's liver function and plasma cholinesterase. 
 
Unless the driver has ingested BZE, it is present due to prior use of Cocaine. 
Cocaine is a Class A drug, and possession is subject to arrest and a potential 7 years in prison. 
Current convictions lead to a fine and minimal prison sentence, typically suspended. 
 
The question to be answered is: 
 
Should drivers with no Cocaine in their blood be punished for earlier misuse of drugs? 
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