ENGINE
On 22 January, the Folketing considered a motion for a resolution on the introduction of drug tests in Greenland. The Minister of Transport is positive and says that he will reach out to Naalakkersuisut with a view to discussing a change to the rules so that drug testing can become part of the police’s tools.
While there are very clear regler for drink-driving in Greenland, it is more foggy when it comes to drug-driving. And it is a serious problem for road safety and the police’s ability to intervene.
This is the opinion of former member of the Folketing for Inuit Ataqatigiit, Aaja Chemnitz, who back in January tabled a motion for a resolution in the Folketingsalen on amending the Greenlandic traffic law so that separate limit values for euphoric substances are introduced, authority to take saliva samples, acquisition of narcotics and other necessary adjustments to the traffic law.
Lack of legislation and tools
The desire to introduce drug tests in Greenland is far from new.
For years, the police have pointed to a lack of legislation and a lack of tools – what is called a drug detector – which in practice means that they have limited opportunities to carry out their work.
According to Aaja Chemnitz, Naalakkersuisut and the Department for Housing, Infrastructure and Outlying Districts have also repeatedly approached the Ministry of Transport to get the Danish government to take the concerns of the police and Nalakkersuisut seriously.
Support from the entire Folketing
But maybe something will happen now. In any case, there was support for the proposal from all the parties in the Folketing and from Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen (V), when the issue was discussed in January, which indicates that there will also be support after the general election, when a new transport minister will probably be in the chair.
Thomas Danielsen stated during the debate that Naalakkersuisoq for Infrastructure, Aqqaluaq B. Egede, had also expressed his support for the proposal, and that this meant that they were now faced with a task of discussions in the self-government about the actual arrangement of the law.
New questions arise
“For example, should one’s driver’s license be revoked unconditionally for 3 years for violations of the legislation on euphoric drugs in Greenland? Should one go to prison in repeat cases? Should one go on an Alcohol-Drug-and-Traffic-like course in Greenland? How should we arrange the legislation in relation to driving ATVs?”
“How do you want the legislation to be set up for snowmobile driving, i.e. in cases where you have had your driver’s license revoked unconditionally? There are many questions that we must of course have a discussion with the Greenlandic self-government about,” said Thomas Danielsen, who pointed out that some elements came under the Ministry of Justice, others under the Ministry of Transport, but regardless of where they came under, it was important that the matter was raised to the highest political level.
