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Citation |
Tassoni G, Mirtella D, Zampi M, Ferrante L, Cippitelli M, Cognigni E, Froldi R, Cingolani M. Forensic Sci. Int. 2014; 244: 16-19. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
unavailable |
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Abstract |
In Italy, driving under the influence of drugs determines the suspension of the offender's driver's license. To regain the license the person must be drug free during an observation period. People whose license has been revoked or suspended can obtain, or re-obtain their driver's license subject to the judgment of a medical commission. The exclusion of illicit drug use is determined by means of toxicological analysis, mainly on urine or hair matrices. We reported the results of several years of experience of the forensic toxicology laboratory of the University of Macerata in the use of hair analysis for the assessment of past exposure to drugs in people suspected of driving under the influence of drugs. From 2004 to 2013, 8612 hair samples, were analyzed for opiates, cocaine and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (δ9-THC) using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method. We used a cutoff (SoHT or national guidelines) to determine the positive data, regardless of the hair sample concentrations. 1213 samples resulted positive, 71.7% were positive for cocaine and metabolites, 19.8% for morphine and metabolites, 8.5% for δ9-THC. We also studied the timeframe of the abuse, as well as gender and age distribution of positive subjects. Moreover, we analyzed the possible deterrent effect of the hair analysis on driving under the influence of psychoactive substances. © 2014. Language: en |
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Keywords |
Adolescent; Adult; Humans; Middle Aged; adolescent; adult; age; human; Young Adult; gender; female; male; young adult; Italy; substance abuse; Automobile Driving; Narcotics; cannabis; dronabinol; Cocaine; car driving; article; middle aged; controlled study; priority journal; cocaine; driver licence; morphine; narcotic agent; drug abuse; Substance Abuse Detection; chemistry; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; human tissue; mass fragmentography; limit of detection; legislation and jurisprudence; procedures; drug exposure; Driver's license; drug hair level; GC/MS; hair; Hair; hair analysis; Hair analysis; nalorphine; Opiates |