title: Drugged Drivers Blood Concentrations in England and Wales Prior to the Introduction of Per Se Limits.
abstract: This report details the blood concentration of drugs found in motorists suspected of driving under the influence of drugs from 2010 to 2012 in England and Wales. This study was carried out as new legislation has come into place, setting fixed blood concentration limits for drugs in motorists. These include a cannabis (Δ9-THC) blood concentration of 2 µg/L, amphetamine 250 µg/L, benzoylecgonine (BZE) 50 µg/L, cocaine 10 µg/L, 6-monoacetylmorphine 5 µg/L, morphine 80 µg/L, diazepam 550 µg/L and methadone 500 µg/L. Samples were screened for opiates, methadone, benzodiazepines, cannabinoids, cocaine, amphetamines and methamphetamine. Cannabinoids were the most prevalent drug group (29.7%) followed by benzodiazepines (22.7%), opiates (18.8%), cocaine (16.3%), amphetamine (7%) and methadone (5.6%). The analytical results are compared with the new per se limits to give a reference of drug concentrations prior to this legislation coming into effect. Our studies show that 64.9% of the cannabis samples, 59.1% of the cocaine samples and 94.6% of the BZE samples would be above the new per se limits set under Section 5a of the Road Traffic Act. In contrast, the medicinal drugs such as benzodiazepines and opiates (morphine) were predominantly detected at concentrations below the new per se limit. Given its medical applications, amphetamines appear to have been grouped with the medicinal type drugs, with our data showing that 25.2% of the amphetamine positive samples would exceed the new specified limit. These data show that samples containing medicinal and prescription drugs are likely to be detected below the new legal limits, while illicit drugs were typically found at concentrations above the new specified limits.
authors: Toxicology Department, LGC Group, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LY, UK.|Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 2EE, UK.
authors: Brian
authors: B
authors: Rooney
authors: Toxicology Department, LGC Group, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LY, UK.
authors: Goncalo Jorge
authors: GJ
authors: Gouveia
authors: Toxicology Department, LGC Group, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LY, UK.
authors: Neville
authors: N
authors: Isles
authors: Toxicology Department, LGC Group, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LY, UK.
authors: Lynda
authors: L
authors: Lawrence
authors: Toxicology Department, LGC Group, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LY, UK.
authors: Tara
authors: T
authors: Brodie
authors: Toxicology Department, LGC Group, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LY, UK.
authors: Zorana
authors: Z
authors: Grahovac
authors: Toxicology Department, LGC Group, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LY, UK.
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Chamberlain
authors: Toxicology Department, LGC Group, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LY, UK.
authors: Gavin
authors: G
authors: Trotter
mesh_terms: D000066448:Driving Under the Influence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004739:England; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000097:blood*; D035846:Law Enforcement; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000379:methods; D014852:Wales
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs