Presence of psychoactive substances in oral fluid from randomly selected drivers in Denmark

• Published in: Forensic science international Vol. 221; no. 1; pp. 33 - 38
• Main Authors: Simonsen, K. Wiese, Steentoft, A, Hels, T, Bernhoft, I.M, Rasmussen, B.S, Linnet, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ireland Ltd 10.09.2012; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Age Distribution; Aged; Alcohol; Automobile Driving - legislation & jurisprudence; Biological and medical sciences; Breath Tests; Central Nervous System Depressants - analysis; Confidence intervals; Denmark; Drivers; Driving; Drugged and drunk driving; Drugs; Drunk driving; Ethanol - analysis; Ethyl alcohol; Female; Fluid dynamics; Fluid flow; Fluids; Forensic medicine; Forensic sciences; Forensic Toxicology; Gender; General aspects; Humans; Illicit drugs; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Legal; Male; Medical sciences; Medicinal drugs; Middle Aged; Oral fluid; Pathology; Psychotropic drugs; Psychotropic Drugs - analysis; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Road site; Saliva - chemistry; Sex Distribution; Street Drugs - analysis; Studies; Substance Abuse Detection; Young Adult; Denmark; Europe; Road site; Illicit drugs; Oral fluid; Alcohol; Drugged and drunk driving; Medicinal drugs; Drug; Site; Biological fluid; Ethanol; Forensic science; CNS stimulant; Illicit drug; Legal medicine; Highway; Forensic aspect; Vehicle driver; Alcoholic beverage; Drug of abuse; Saliva; Driving under the influence
• ISSN: 0379-0738; 1872-6283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2012.03.021

Abstract This roadside study is the Danish part of the EU-project DRUID (Driving under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol, and Medicines) and included three representative regions in Denmark. Oral fluid samples ( n = 3002) were collected randomly from drivers using a sampling scheme stratified by time, season, and road type. The oral fluid samples were screened for 29 illegal and legal psychoactive substances and metabolites as well as ethanol. Fourteen (0.5%) drivers were positive for ethanol (alone or in combination with drugs) at concentrations above 0.53 g/l, which is the Danish legal limit. The percentage of drivers positive for medicinal drugs above the Danish legal concentration limit was 0.4%; while, 0.3% of the drivers tested positive for one or more illicit drug at concentrations exceeding the Danish legal limit. Tetrahydrocannabinol, cocaine, and amphetamine were the most frequent illicit drugs detected above the limit of quantitation (LOQ); while, codeine, tramadol, zopiclone, and benzodiazepines were the most frequent legal drugs. Middle aged men (median age 47.5 years) dominated the drunk driving group, while the drivers positive for illegal drugs consisted mainly of young men (median age 26 years). Middle aged women (median age 44.5 years) often tested positive for benzodiazepines at concentrations exceeding the legal limits. Interestingly, 0.6% of drivers tested positive for tramadol, at concentrations above the DRUID cut off; although, tramadol is not included in the Danish list of narcotic drugs. It can be concluded that driving under the influence of drugs is as serious a road safety problem as drunk driving.