[Determinations of the presence of drugs in traffic users in the material of the Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Białystok]

Abstract

In recent years, there has been observed an increasing number of traffic users being under influence of psychoactive substances that affect the central nervous system. A total of 198 blood samples and 23 urine samples collected from traffic users (drivers, passengers and pedestrians) suspected of having ingested psychoactive substances were examined. The analysis included blood samples collected from living individuals and blood or urine from the deceased. Ethyl alcohol levels were determined by gas chromatography, while body fluids were examined by Elisa tests for determination of cannabinoids, amphetamines, opium narcotics, cocaine (benzoiloecgonine), benzodiazepines, barbiturates and tricyclic antidepressants. The confirmation of positive results was carried out by gas chromatography with mass detector. Twenty-nine blood samples were positive, what constituted 14.6% of the total number of investigated cases, including 12 (7.8%) of samples originating from living individuals and 17 (37.8)--from the fatalities. In both groups, the most commonly detected substances were cannabinoids (THC and its metabolite carboxy-THC) and amphetamines and its analogues.