Cabinet unveils 14 measures to curb drug-impaired driving and drug crimes

At the Cabinet's weekly meeting Thursday, Premier Cho Jung-tai was briefed by the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Health and Welfare, and Ministry of Transportation and Communications on the government's efforts to combat illicit drugs and prevent drug-impaired driving. The premier said that the government is rolling out 14 measures across three policy fronts-deterrence at the source, increased enforcement, and tougher penalties for drug-impaired driving-to curb the circulation of illicit drugs, particularly etomidate, and prevent drug-impaired driving, thereby ensuring public safety and maintaining social order.

Premier Cho said that the measures to strengthen deterrence at the source include: (1) upgrading etomidate from a Category 2 to a Category 1 narcotic, making its manufacture, transportation or sale punishable by a maximum penalty of death; (2) introducing criminal penalties for the manufacture, transportation, sale or supply of e-cigarettes; (3) imposing administrative penalties for the possession of e-cigarettes and adding provisions for confiscation; (4) expanding measures to block e-cigarette advertising on online and social media platforms; and (5) enhancing international drug enforcement cooperation to improve the effectiveness of drug interdiction at sea.

Measures aimed at strengthening enforcement include: (1) immediately examining the feasibility of incorporating saliva-based drug screening into the legal framework; (2) bolstering drug prevention and control efforts on school campuses; and (3) intensifying the seizure of e-cigarettes at the border.

Measures aimed at tightening penalties for drug-impaired driving include: (1) increasing statutory penalties across the board for drug-impaired driving offenses; (2) revoking the driver's licenses of offenders and prohibiting them from reapplying for a license for three years, or permanently revoking the licenses of those who reoffend or who cause serious injury or death; (3) increasing fines for repeat offenders by NT$90,000 (approximately US$2,900), with additional fines accumulating for each subsequent offense; (4) introducing liability for passengers who ride with drug-impaired drivers; (5) raising penalties for individuals who drive while their licenses are revoked for drug-impaired driving; and (6) authorizing the confiscation of all vehicles used in drug-impaired driving, regardless of vehicle ownership.