NEWS that the number of drug driving arrests across Essex in 2019 topped the combined total for the previous two years has got to be worrying.

Almost 1,850 drug arrests were made across the county last year.

It is impossible to know whether this is due to a massive increase in people taking the risk of driving after taking drugs or because police are simply getting better at apprehending suspects.

We can only hope that Essex Police’s claim it is the latter is correct.

We have come a long way in making drink driving a social taboo.

Let’s hope we don’t have to start all over again with drug driving.