Psychiatrist expresses concern over Lee Kyung-gyu's ”drug driving” case... ”Risk of spreading prejudice” = South Korea

Regarding the case of Lee Kyung-gyu, a famous Korean comedian, who was questioned by police on suspicion of driving after taking medication for panic disorder, a psychiatrist said, "
"There is a possibility that social stigma and unnecessary misunderstandings will spread against all drug users," he said. On the 25th, psychiatrist Oh Jin-seong posted on his SNS, "Recently,
It was widely reported that Lee Kyung-kyu was being investigated by police on suspicion of violating the Road Traffic Act (drug-driven driving) after taking drugs prescribed to treat panic disorder.
It is said that the parking attendant mistakenly drove a car of the same model and color as his car, but even though I am not taking medication for panic disorder, I would mistake the car for mine and drive it.
"If such an incident is widely reported, it could lead to the spread of social stigma and unnecessary misunderstandings about all psychiatric drug users," he continued.
"The perception that 'taking psychiatric medication is unconditionally dangerous' will lead to people hesitating to seek treatment in Korean society, where there is already a lot of prejudice against psychiatry, and an increase in the number of people who are unable to receive appropriate treatment.
"People who haven't read the article in detail will probably read the title and think, 'When you take psychiatric drugs, you can't tell the difference between your own car and theft.
"People will have a prejudice that they will steal and cause big trouble," he said. When a netizen asked, "Should I not drive if I take medicine for panic disorder?" Oh replied,
"In most cases, there's no problem, but for those who occasionally feel very sleepy, we advise them to refrain from driving or operating complex machinery after taking the drug," he replied.
Lee was charged with driving while under the influence of drugs at around 2 p.m. on the 8th of this month in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
He mistakenly drove another person's car, which was the same color and type, and was reported for theft. A simple drug test conducted by the police at the scene showed a positive result, and a detailed test by the National Forensic Service also confirmed the positive result.
The suspect was charged with violating the Road Traffic Act. Article 45 of the Road Traffic Act prohibits driving while under the influence of drugs, even prescription drugs.
If the drug reduces mental strength or cognitive function, it may be considered a violation of the law. On the 24th, Gangnam Police Station summoned Lee to question him about how he came to take drugs and the circumstances at the time of driving.
He admitted to the police that he had been careless in driving while taking medication for panic disorder. After police questioning, Lee said, "I was told not to drive while taking medication for panic disorder.
"I didn't realize that there were any drugs like that in the ones I was taking, so I would say that it would be best to refrain from driving. I would also be careful.
"I want to wear it," he said. According to Lee's lawyer, he has suffered from panic disorder for the past 10 years.