The number of drug-driving accidents in Kaohsiung City has increased by more than 20% year-on-year, and lawmakers warn that the emerging drug "tiletamine" may become the next zombie cigarette bomb

Police step up efforts to crack down on drug-impaired drivers. (Photo by reporter Chen Wenchan)

In Kaohsiung City, there were 106 drug-driving accidents in the past eight months, more than the 88 cases in the whole of last year. Councilor Li Yajing warned that the replacement of emerging drugs is faster than expected, and "tiletamine" may become the next etomidate (commonly known as zombie cigarette cartridges), and asked the police to deploy prevention measures in advance.

Councilor Li Yajing said based on city government data that the number of drug-driving cases detected in Kaohsiung City increased sharply from 363 in 2013 to 1,258 last year. The number of drug-driving accident cases also increased rapidly, from 38 in 2013 to 88 in 2014, reaching 106 from January to August this year. This year is not over yet, and the number of drug-driving accident cases has exceeded that of last year.

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Li Yajing pointed out that drug driving is not a simple traffic violation, but a "mobile bomb on the road." The real importance is to stop the danger before the accident occurs. She requires the police to establish a rolling drug driving hotspot map and strengthen precise interception and law enforcement based on the location, time and relevant risk information of the case. It is not to deal with the accident after the accident, but to stop the moving danger before the accident occurs.

Li Yajing also warned that "the replacement rate of emerging drugs is faster than imagined!", and also named an emerging drug that may spread rapidly, "tiletamine". It was originally a general anesthetic used in animal medicine. If it is used improperly in the human body, it may produce strong hallucinations, confusion, loss of spatial awareness, etc., and may even lead to violent behavior and the risk of drug driving.

Li Yajing said that some doctors have warned that "tiletamine" may become the next etomidate (commonly known as zombie cigarette cartridges), and the police are required to face up to this emerging threat, improve the detection and rapid screening capabilities of emerging drugs, and keep up with the rapid replacement rate of emerging drugs. They cannot just detect crimes after they occur, but should grasp crime trends in advance and establish a more forward-looking prevention and control mechanism.

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