Process of detecting consumption of psychoactive substances is difficult

NEW DELHI: The legal availability of marijuana for either medicinal or recreational use in places like Thailand and Amsterdam has made life difficult for airlines flying there. The reason: Unlike simple breath analyser tests for checking if the crew is tipsy, the process of detecting consumption of psychoactive substances is difficult.

The only way to deter their consumption by flight crew members, say officials across multiple airlines, is to increase random dope testing as there substances usually remain present in the body for much longer than alcohol.

The concern across airlines globally to check this stems from the fact that operating a flight “under the influence of any psychoactive substance might render (licensed personnel like pilots) unable to safely and properly exercise” perform their duty, according to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Possibly the most infamous case of this was a US carrier’s off duty pilot travelling on the jump seat (extra seat behind pilots operating the flight) in the flight deck trying to shut down the engines. This off duty pilot had reportedly taken psychedelic mushrooms two days before the incident and hadn't slept in 48 hours.

“This is a challenge globally. Often the tests are not conclusive if taking some medicine leads to detection of psychoactive substances. However, recent consumption of drugs does show up in tests,” said senior officials.

The DGCA rules on “procedure for examination of the aviation personnel for consumption of psychoactive substances” says: “In case the confirmatory test is found positive, the medical in charge of the concerned organisation shall consult a medical review officer (MRO) to determine if the result was due to a legitimate therapeutic treatment or some other innocuous source (for example pain relief medication containing codeine may trigger a positive result for opiates). ”

Airlines abroad and in India try to create awareness and encourage employees to anonymously report addiction so that the same can be addressed. But mostly people avoid reporting the same, so this virtually remains a non-starter, said many officials.

Officials running operations across airlines say the focus in India is primarily on self-reporting and de-addiction.

“But given the easy availability of psychoactive substances, we need to make the consequences a bit tougher and act as deterrent. We have to increase random testing, that’s the only way out,” said officials.

Under current DGCA rules, all scheduled airlines commercial and air navigation service provider need to test at least 10% of their flight crew members and air traffic controllers every year.