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Motorists who get behind the wheel after smoking cannabis face losing their licence for at least a year under a “one spliff and you’re over the limit” crackdown on drug driving.

Ministers today proposed a “zero tolerance” crackdown on people who drive after using illegal drugs.

Nearly 9,000 drivers are expected to face prosecution a year under the new drug driving offence due to come into force next year.

Motorists found guilty will face an automatic driving ban of at least a year, as well as possibly jail of up to six months and a fine of up to £5,000.

The new law is also expected to see a small number of people on other controlled drugs, commonly prescribed for medical conditions, being found to be over the legal limit.

But ministers stressed the tough measures would save more than 100 lives and prevent at least 500 serious injuries on the roads each year.

Roads minister Stephen Hammond named eight illegal drugs - cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, ketamine, benzoylecgonine, methamphetamine, LSD and - with a proposed limit set so low to mean almost any intake would see motorist over the limit.

It would be at the lowest level at which a valid and reliable analytical result can be obtained, while also ruling out “passive consumption” or “inhalation”.

The threshold aimed to only exclude people who had been “accidentally exposed” to drugs from being caught.

Motorists would be found guilty of drug driving if they had just over two micrograms of cannabis per litre in their blood.

Mr Hammond said: “Drug driving is a menace which devastates families and ruins lives. That is why we are proposing to take a zero tolerance approach with those who drive under the influence of illegal drugs and sending a clear message that this behaviour will not be tolerated.”

A Department for Transport source added: “The idea is to make sure you can’t smoke a spliff and drive.”

Police will be able to take up to three saliva test for drugs at the roadside to identify any drugs used.

If any of these are positive, then the motorist could be taken to a police station for a blood test.

Under the existing offence of being impaired by drugs while driving, police and prosecutors have to show how a driver’s ability had been affected by what they had taken.

In future, under the new offence of drug driving, they will simply have to show that the individual had taken drugs.

A panel of experts had suggested that the limits for most of the drugs should be set based on evidence of impairment to driving or on the increased risks of road accidents.

But in a consultation published today, the Government backed “zero tolerance” for illegal drugs.

For the limit on eight prescribed drugs, which include tranquilisers such as diazepam and temazepam, ministers are proposing a road safety risk approach,

So patients who follow doctor’s prescriptions for these medicines, which says they will still be safet to drive, should not fall foul of the new law.

But individuals who self-prescribe or take excessive doses could be committing an offence. Mr Hammond said: “We know that the vast majority of people who use these drugs are doing so responsibly and safely and that is why our approach does not unduly penalise drivers who have taken properly prescribed medicines.”

Multiple sclerosis sufferers, who have taken a cannabis-based medicine, and other people on prescription drugs would be able to put up a “medical defence” if police and prosecutors decided to arrest and charge them with drug driving.

The consultation seeks further evidence on how to deal with amphetamines.

RAC technical director David Bizley said: “We welcome the Government’s move to bring increasing levels of clarity to driving on illegal drugs and prescription medication, something that is very much needed.

“We all know that driving under the influence of drugs is extremely dangerous and wrecks lives – but it is also a growing problem, particularly among young motorists.”