No drug test for drivers who blow .08

South Australian drivers found with a blood alcohol level of more than 0.08 will not be tested for drug use under the state's new drug-driving laws.

Police have confirmed only those motorists who "blow" between .05 and .079 per cent will have to undergo saliva drug tests.

This is because under new drink-driving penalties which came into effect from December 1, drivers who blow more than 0.08 will immediately lose their licence.

Police have also revealed each roadside drug test will cost $39 with further testing costs borne by the Administrative Services Department.

Assistant Police Commissioner for operations support Grant Stevens said this would have the effect of "removing a dangerous road user from our roads".

But the Opposition, which raised the issue of drug-driving loopholes including testing for ecstasy, said it could see drivers with a cocktail of drugs in their systems being caught only for drink-driving.

The issue is likely to dominate proceedings in Parliament's Upper House today when Road Safety Minister Carmel Zollo will come under Opposition scrutiny.

Also yesterday:

NO POKIES MLC Nick Xenophon said the Government should "stop agonising over ecstasy and clarify the laws".

PILL-TESTING advocate Dr David Caldicott warned the drug-testing regime could see drug users switch from easily tested and detected drugs to those which were more medically dangerous.

MS Zollo and Mr Stevens said street ecstasy, which had been adulterated with methamphetamine, would be picked up by the testing regime and people would be penalised for using methamphetamine.

Mr Stevens confirmed the tests would not detect unadulterated ecstasy.

"We are testing for methamphetamine and I am confident that the majority of people using ecstasy will be using a substance which includes a drug we are able to detect and they will be prosecuted for that," he said.

Opposition parliamentary secretary Terry Stephens said he thought the drug-testing laws were about catching people who had a cocktail of drugs in their systems.

"But with this system, people who blow over 0.08 will not be picked up," he said.

"Surely someone is more potentially dangerous if they have a mixture of drugs and alcohol."