Research Note: Cannabis and Driving — Research Needs and Issues for Transportation Policy

This paper summarizes current knowledge regarding the effects of cannabis use on driving. Psychopharmacological evidence has shown that cannabis, unlike alcohol, can be detected several days after consumption. Prevalence data has revealed that cannabis use is increasing, and that as many as 90% of study participants were willing to drive after consuming a typical dose. A review of laboratory studies found that cannabis and alcohol affect different driving tasks. When cannabis and alcohol use were evaluated in simulated and on-road driving situations, drivers were more aware of being intoxicated after using cannabis and thus invoked greater compensatory effort to offset impairment in the driving task. The effect of cannabis use on crash risk has shown that recent use increases crash risk, but not as much as alcohol consumption. This paper concludes that further research is needed before specific transportation policy can be developed for cannabis.

A peek into Pandora's box: the medical excuse marijuana controversy

The smoking of marijuana for medicinal applications is a volatile and difficult issue for the medical and regulatory communities which has reached the forefront of discussions of public policy. Any consideration of this issue must take into account the substantial toxicity, impurity, and morbidity associated with marijuana use. Several states have passed ballot initiatives or legislation that allow a medical excuse for possession of marijuana. These initiatives bypass the Food and Drug Administration process of proving safety and efficacy, and they have created serious regulatory dilemmas for state regulatory boards. Several examinations of the issue have consistently drawn question to the validity of smoking an impure substance while voicing concern for the well being of patients in need. The historical, social, medical, and legal issues are examined.

Chromatographic procedures for determination of cannabinoids in biological samples, with special attention to blood and alternative matrices like hair, saliva, sweat and meconium

This paper reviews chromatographic procedures for determination of cannabinoids in biological samples. Special attention was focused on blood and alternative matrices like hair, saliva, sweat and meconium. Papers published from 1998 to the early beginning of 1999 were taken into consideration. Gas chromatographic and liquid chromatographic procedures with different detectors (e.g. mass spectrometer or diode array) were considered. Basic information about the biosample assayed. sample preparation, work-up, gas chromatography column or liquid chromatography column and mobile phase, detection mode, reference and validation data are summarized in tables.

Determination of drugs of abuse in blood

The detection and quantitation of drugs of abuse in blood is of growing interest in forensic and clinical toxicology. With the development of highly sensitive chromatographic methods, such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with sensitive detectors and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), more and more substances can be determined in blood. This review includes methods for the determination of the most commonly occurring illicit drugs and their metabolites, which are important for the assessment of drug abuse: Methamphetamine, amphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), N-ethyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDEA), 3,4-methylenedioxy-amphetamine (MDA), cannabinoids (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, 11-hydroxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), cocaine, benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methyl ester, cocaethylene and the opiates (heroin, 6-monoacetylmorphine, morphine, codeine and dihydrocodeine). A number of drugs/drug metabolites that are structurally close to these substances are included in the tables. Basic information about the biosample assayed, work-up, GC column or LC column and mobile phase, detection mode, reference data and validation data of each procedure is summarized in the tables. Examples of typical applications are presented.

Trends in occurrence of drugs of abuse in blood and urine of arrested drivers and drug traffickers in the border region of Aachen

The region of Aachen is located in a triangle on the German, Dutch and Belgian borders and is heavily exposed to drug traffic, due to the differences in national drug policies. The analysis of toxicological casework in the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Aachen was undertaken for the period 1987-1993, i.e. 6 years before and 1 year after the partial suspension of the border control due to the Maastricht Treaty; 2653 cases were registered, among them 988 automobile drivers. The profile of the casework has changed after the opening of the border: up to 1992 most cases were obtained from the customs. In 1993 the prevalence of police samples was noticed. In the population of drivers, blood samples were only taken in 30% of all the cases. In other cases, concerning mainly motorized drug smugglers, only urine samples or seized drugs have been sent for examination. The urine samples in this group were mostly drug-positive. Drug-smuggling drivers appeared to be a risk-generating group for road traffic safety. The analyses of blood and urine samples revealed multiple drug use in most of the cases. Since 1992, a steep increase in the frequency of cocaine-positive blood samples among drivers was noticed. The results of the study indicate that the abolition of the border control affected the road traffic safety in the region of Aachen.