Police will ask you to provide a saliva sample for
the purpose of testing for:
THC—the active ingredient in cannabis
Methylamphetamine—also known as speed
and ice
MDMA—the active ingredient in ecstasy.

Saliva tests will only be able to detect the active
ingredients of the nominated drugs THC, MDMA
and methylamphetamine.

Even though methamphetamine is manufactured
from substances such as pseudoephedrine (found
in cold and flu tablets) those substances will not
be detected by the saliva tests.

It says they will not be testing for pseudoeph substances on the main ingredients in the drugs. It then goes on to list the different types of drugs but nowhere on the factsheet does it say they will be testing for those drugs. So I think most people taking anti-depressants and the like will be fine. Want to check it out for yourself here is the link:
http://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/roadSafety/drugDriving.htm

A great list to start with in educating those who use legally prescribed medications, although i bet there are probably quite a few more.

As an example for general interest, you named a drug called ‘Antenax’, which is from the base drug ‘Diazepam’. Most people would consider this drug in the same vein as ‘Serapax’, and, to a degree it certainly is. However, according to recent qualified medical opinion, Antenax is also commonly used with the sole purpose of being a muscle relaxant, particularly for those with moderate to severe spinal problems, given that the muscles around the area will often go into spasm. Medical opinion is that the ‘active’ time for Antenax is approx 2-3 hours. Certainly, it would have long become inactive within 24 hours. However, there has been mention that saliva tests also include the benzodiazepam family of drugs, of which this compound is one, however, it could very possibly show in saliva at 24 hours, residually, although totally inactive and not affecting ability or response times. Question…how do people then prove at what time they may have actually taken their legally prescribed tablet? Antenax is apparently prescribed to thousands of people, all over the country on a regular basis. Sure, they will feel a relaxed sensation for 2-3 hours. Certainly by 4-5 hours they will be ‘as sober as a judge’, so to speak.

It’s really bad to see that my concerns have been confirmed, they really have gone a step too far! Is the government willing to compensate industry when at the start of winter 80% of the workforce is off sick cause they are too “high” on cold and flu tablets to drive to work or at the start of spring when hay fever sufferers are taking Avil and the like just so they can step outside. Are they willing to put obease people on disability pensions who lose their jobs cause they live in an area that doesn’t have resonable public transport so they can’t get to work cause they are “high” on the slimming pills that have most probably been subscribed in an effort to save their lives. How does a sufferer of migrains get home from work if they get a headache during the day, what about all the women who require relief from pain once a month? Have these questions been asked of the policy makers?

This is a poorly though out initiative with alot more negative impact on society than positive. The main killer on our roads is lack of education and training. Pump some money into training people how to operate their vehicles safely and effectively in all situations rather than just testing people on the bare minimum skill level required to get from A to B and than park.

When people are educated they make better decisions, plain and simple. If people had training and testing in extreme situations as part of learning to drive then they would soon realise that driving under the influence is not such a good idea should they need to deal with an abnormal situation. The fact is 90% of people can get a car safely from A to B under “normal” conditions when intoxicated so they don’t think of the abnormal situations they may encounter when making the decision to drive. If drivers have had previously experienced (which probably 80% haven’t) the level speed and accuracy of decision making and motor skills required to safely recover from a dangerous situation then the vast majority would make the correct decision and the law would police itself!

Cars don’t kill people, speed doesn’t kill people it’s not even the roads and conditions that kill people. Poor decision making by the driver is what kills. Address the problem at it’s roots!