Drug-related traffic offenses surge as lawmakers push for stricter penalties in Denmark

Reports of drug-related traffic offenses are becoming increasingly frequent, with indications that such incidents are nearly as common as those involving alcohol.

Earlier this year, Elsebeth Mercedis Gunnleksdóttir proposed stricter penalties for drug driving, but her initiative was rejected after the Minister of Transport, Dennis Holm, announced that the government was already working on a similar proposal.

In August, Jacob Vestergaard, a member of parliament, reintroduced the proposal. After its first reading, it was referred to the Committee on Industry, where it currently resides.

Erhard Joensen, chair of the committee, stated that the committee is ready to consider Vestergaard’s proposal. The Committee has given the Minister of Transport a deadline to present his government proposal this year. For the parliament to conduct the necessary review before the year-end, the proposal must be submitted by the end of this month.

Holm emphasized that the main objective is to bring a proposal to tighten the penalties for drug driving to parliament this year.