Diazepam via mouth swab

[Mrob1982]

Hi all, I'm really having some serious worry issues about being pulled over by the UK police having used Diazepam days before. I have read the information in half life and how long it stays in your system but does anyone have any more accurate information on how long it is detectable via the roadside saliva swab method used by police?

 

[dinger]

its a great question to ask mate, i wish i could help!!.. Am sure some one might be able to chime in on that...
But a question " many people " will be thinking To...I know if you smoke "herb" that can be detected back
Many weeks longer that benzos.... I would like think " they " would only pull if they suspected you to be dangerous
Driving or being pissed or stoned....

 

[Name taken]

I don’t know how it is in the UK, but in the United States in cases of suspected driving while impaired, they can take a blood test.

 

[countryboyjs]

Had take a blood test once before. Results come back negative. They had to drop the charges.

 

[pinkflower]

It's an interesting question @Mrob1982, but is it something that is likely to happen?

Is it likely that you will be pulled over and tested for drugs if you are not driving erratically? From what I have read the UK government has set the limits at very low levels (basically zero-tolerance but at levels set to account for "accidental exposure") for drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, etc, ie illegal use drugs, but the limits set for benzos (and methadone and morphine) are higher than normal prescribed doses and even then you have a legal defence if your limit is above the level set but your driving is not impaired.

I know what you are worried about but I also read that even if you have not been prescribed them you "could" be prosecuted if you drive with "certain levels" of these drugs in your body and have not been prescribed them. I would imagine these levels are quite high the same as if you have been prescribed them.

The laws were set on the basis of a "road safety risk based approach" to benzos and the like, ie not to say you cannot drive with them in your system at all. So I truly think you're worrying unnecessarily.

Benzos are widely prescribed here and it just doesn't seem to be an issue that arises.

You ask how long it is detectable via the test, and you are talking about possibly being tested days after use. I think even if there was any detected then, it would be minimal, to say the least. And the allowable levels are clearly set quite high. I just think they are more concerned about alcohol and illegal drugs such as cannabis etc.

Just don't get involved in a high-speed chase with the rozzers and I'm sure you'll have nothing whatsoever to worry about.

 

[pinkflower]

Oh I think I just spent ages (slow typist) writing out a long-winded version of exactly what @dinger said. lol

ie "I would like think " they " would only pull if they suspected you to be dangerous. Driving or being pissed or stoned...."

I could have just posted - "yeah, that".

 

[countryboyjs]

@Mrob1982 They might or might not find any diazepam in your system,depending on how much you took and how many days have passed, but they might find certain levels of the diazepam metabolites in your system.

 

[Mrob1982]

It's an interesting question @Mrob1982, but is it something that is likely to happen?

Is it likely that you will be pulled over and tested for drugs if you are not driving erratically? From what I have read the UK government has set the limits at very low levels (basically zero-tolerance but at levels set to account for "accidental exposure") for drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, etc, ie illegal use drugs, but the limits set for benzos (and methadone and morphine) are higher than normal prescribed doses and even then you have a legal defence if your limit is above the level set but your driving is not impaired.

I know what you are worried about but I also read that even if you have not been prescribed them you "could" be prosecuted if you drive with "certain levels" of these drugs in your body and have not been prescribed them. I would imagine these levels are quite high the same as if you have been prescribed them.

The laws were set on the basis of a "road safety risk based approach" to benzos and the like, ie not to say you cannot drive with them in your system at all. So I truly think you're worrying unnecessarily.

Benzos are widely prescribed here and it just doesn't seem to be an issue that arises.

You ask how long it is detectable via the test, and you are talking about possibly being tested days after use. I think even if there was any detected then, it would be minimal, to say the least. And the allowable levels are clearly set quite high. I just think they are more concerned about alcohol and illegal drugs such as cannabis etc.

Just don't get involved in a high-speed chase with the rozzers and I'm sure you'll have nothing whatsoever to worry about.

Thabks for this! It has set my mind at rest somewhat with regards to being tested days after yse however unfortunately in the UK it is become so commonplace to randomly roadside test for drugs for any sort of stop from the police. Articles in the local papers and on social media from Police forces almost bragging about catching 'criminals' under the influence of drugs regardless of whether they've been prescribed them. It's frankly disgusting! Especially in this era of supposed mental health awareness.

I'm interested to hear what you've read about the prescribed legal limits of diazepam because the values I read were like another language to me! So basically I use doses of up to 20 mg at any one point. So this would be a one off dose and maybe then nothing for weeks. The laws I have read of this state so many micrograms per litre of blood (or something silly like that) so I have no idea how that translates to the normal dosage etc.

Any ideas?

 

[Mrob1982]

@countryboyjs see this is kind of what I need to know. Like I have a prescription for very small amounts of Diazepam so it's not an issue having it detected in my system but I'm just wondering would a roadside swab detect say 10mg taken 3 days prior? Obviously a blood test probably would but I'm curious as to how long it's present in your saliva.

 

[countryboyjs]

@countryboyjs see this is kind of what I need to know. Like I have a prescription for very small amounts of Diazepam so it's not an issue having it detected in my system but I'm just wondering would a roadside swab detect say 10mg taken 3 days prior? Obviously a blood test probably would but I'm curious as to how long it's present in your saliva.

I honestly am not really sure. I had a script for diazepam a long time ago. And I went in for a job interview and they drug tested me with a saliva test and I passed. Mabye they wasn't testin for benzos. I never told them that I had a script either. I know saliva tests ain't as accurate as a blood test. I do know that they have what are called therapeutic levels when it comes to benzos,at least in America, not sure how it is in England. That means if you have a certain trace of benzos in your system that they consider within the therapeutic level you pass the sobriety test.

 

[pinkflower]

I'm sorry @Mrob1982 I had no idea the police in the UK were doing that to that extent! Wow!

But as the blood levels for benzos are set at those attained by higher than prescribed doses I truly think a 10mg tablet taken 3 days prior would be nowhere near that level! Not even close!

I also read, but can't find it now, that the government can't give guidelines on dosages regarding this because blood levels depend on so many things, such as what people have eaten, how they metabolise drugs, and a range of other things. So they can't even give exact guidelines on that.

But just having it detected in your system wouldn't be an issue unless it was at a very high level and yours wouldn't be.

 

[Mrob1982]

OK wel thanks for that! You've set my mind at ease quite a lot ☺ hopefully I can stop worrying about it as much now!