Police to target four drugs in new roadside driver testing regime
Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Police will be able to test any driver at any time for four drugs, as the Government prepares to roll out its new oral-fluid roadside testing regime.
Cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, and ecstasy will be the focus for the police, with new powers allowing them to stop any vehicle at any time to screen the driver for the presence of drugs.
In 2023, the then Labour-led government attempted to introduce a new roadside drug testing regime; however, no oral fluid testing devices could be found that met the specified evidentiary standards required by the legislation.
The coalition government then proceeded with its own attempt, and Parliament passed a new law in April, enabling police to conduct random roadside tests, with a target of 50,000 tests per year.
The new drug-testing rollout was set to begin in December in the Wellington District and scale up from April 2026, with nationwide coverage expected by mid-2026.
How will the test work?
The first roadside screening test will be a quick tongue swipe, taking just a few minutes.
If the test is positive, officers will then take a saliva sample for laboratory analysis.
While the focus will be on the four particular drugs, the laboratory can test for up to 25 substances.
A second roadside screening test will then be conducted. If that test is positive, the driver will be prohibited from driving for 12 hours.
An infringement notice will follow a positive laboratory result. Drivers who refuse or fail to comply with a roadside drug test will also be issued with an infringement notice.
Most drivers will be free to go within about five minutes once they have a negative test result.
Putting ‘innocent’ lives at risk
Transport Minister Chris Bishop says drug-impaired drivers are a “menace” on the roads.
“Around 30% of all road deaths now involve an impairing drug. If you take drugs and drive, you’re putting innocent lives at risk - and we will not tolerate it,” he said.
Bishop said the new tests were about holding “drugged-up drivers” to account.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said the new regime will “strengthen” the ability of the police to keep roads safe.
“This is another positive step in delivering our road-safety strategy and targeting the key factors behind fatal crashes. The ability for police to screen for impairing drugs is a welcome addition to their enforcement toolbox,” Mitchell said.
Cannabis still the most commonly used substance
Of the four substances, cannabis remained the most commonly used among New Zealanders, and was a Class C drug. Ecstasy was Class B, and cocaine and methamphetamine were Class A, under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975.
The latest numbers from the New Zealand Drug Foundation released in June showed that 15.% of the population used cannabis in the previous year.
Usage of the other three drugs remained relatively low in the population, with cocaine use at 2.4% of adults aged 15 and over, methamphetamine at 1.3%, and ecstasy at 4.8%.
CORRECTION: This article has been updated to report accurately the classifications of the four substances subject to the incoming roadside driver testing regime.