The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) announced on Thursday that driving under the influence of drugs will soon be a criminal offense.

In recent years, an increasing number of accidents caused by drivers taking hard drugs has posed a serious and escalating danger to the public. Punishments for driving under the influence of drugs should be even harsher than those for drunk driving, according to a statement by the MPS.

Narcotics seriously affect a driver’s coordination and mental state. Statistics from the MPS list a total of 1,562 deaths and 4,934 injuries caused by driving under the influence of drugs since 2013.

Police have been ramping up checks on drivers, and now can check names against a nationwide driver database to identify repeat offenders. Registered drug addicts are banned from driving. So far, 140,000 licenses have been suspended because the license holders failed to complete rehab or relapsed. More than 2,000 license applications from drug addicts were rejected.

Tough penalties and random tests have sent a message to drivers, loud and clear: drunk driving will not be tolerated in China. The effect of alcohol on drivers is well known. The effect of drugs is less studied, but it is known that they equally impair the ability of users to think and respond normally.

Depending on the type and quantity of drug taken, they can cause drowsiness, loss of coordination, delayed reaction times, vision problems, an inability to deal with unexpected events, and aggressiveness.

The MPS is now actively cooperating with Chinese lawmakers to promote stricter punishment for driving under the influence of drugs, including revising laws to better reflect the severity of drug-influenced driving crimes.