The use of Ketamine while driving will now be punishable in Belgium after the Federal Parliament approved new legislation on Wednesday.
Earlier this week, road safety institute, Vias, urged authorities to quickly acquire saliva tests capable of detecting ketamine as the Parliament was preparing to vote on a legislative amendment making the use of this substance a driving offence.
The Chamber had now adopted a draft law proposed by Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) amending Belgium's road traffic policing legislation following the introduction of the new Criminal Code.
Although increasingly diverted for recreational use, the substance had not previously been formally banned for motorists.
The new legislation adds ketamine to the list of prohibited substances for drivers, alongside drugs such as Cocaine.
According to Crucke, including ketamine in the register of criminal offences was a necessary first step. His counterpart, Annelies Verlinden, can now rely on the legislation to establish the technical specifications for saliva tests capable of detecting the substance.
The Belgian Federal Public Service Justice will subsequently launch a public tender for the acquisition of the new testing kits.
