The government's draft law introduces a new concept for drivers: "drug intoxication." Punishable offered Drivers whose bodies are found to contain substances found in medications that impair attention and reaction time, but are not classified as ethyl alcohol, narcotics, or psychotropic drugs. A "combination of clinical signs of intoxication" must be established.

In particular, the government proposes amending Article 12.8 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, so that taking medications will be punishable by both a fine and the loss of a driver's license.

The list of prohibited medications is unknown: the government will approve it by a separate decree. It may include anesthetics, antiepileptic drugs, sleeping pills, sedatives, and other medications.

Drivers' situation could become significantly more difficult, and the list of "dangerous" medications could expand. Under current regulations, Russians could be penalized for taking, for example, Corvalol or Nurofen Plus, which contain phenobarbital and codeine, both of which are prohibited for use while driving.

Since 2020, lawmakers have repeatedly proposed placing a special "No Entry" label on medications that could impair driver alertness and reaction time. However, the initiative was rejected.

In May, such a bill was introduced again was introduced. "Most citizens of our country, taking medications prescribed by a doctor or without a prescription, do not know and cannot know that some medications contain narcotic or psychotropic substances, the use of which is incompatible with driving a vehicle," the explanatory note states.

In 2024, the Ministry of Health published a list of medications that are prohibited and should be avoided by drivers of motor vehicles. list The 73 pages included 281 international nonproprietary names.