Prevalence of psychoactive substances, alcohol and illicit drugs, in Spanish drivers: A roadside study in 2015

Abstract

A survey was conducted during 2015 to monitor psychoactive substance use in a sample of drivers in Spanish roads and cities. Traffic police officers recruited drivers at sites carefully chosen to achieve representativeness of the driver population. A brief questionnaire included the date, time, and personal and driving patterns data. Alcohol use was ascertained through ethanol breath test at the roadside and considered positive if concentrations >0.05mg alcohol/L were detected. Four drug classes were assessed on-site through an oral fluid screening test that, if positive, was confirmed through a second oral fluid sample at a reference laboratory. Laboratory confirmation analyses screened for 26 psychoactive substances. To evaluate the association between drug findings and age, sex, road type (urban/interurban), and period of the week (weekdays, weeknights, weekend days, weekend nights), logistic regression analyses were done (overall, and separately for alcohol, cannabis and cocaine). A total of 2744 drivers, mean age of 37.5 years, 77.8% men, were included. Overall, 11.6% of the drivers had at least one positive finding to the substances assessed. Substances more frequently testing positive were cannabis (7.5%), cocaine (4.7%) and alcohol (2.6%). More than one substance was detected in 4% of the subjects. The proportion of positive results decreased with age, and was more likely among men and on urban roads. The pattern for alcohol use was similar but did not change with age and increased among drivers recruited at night. Cannabis was more likely to be detected at younger ages and cocaine was associated with night driving. Alcohol use before driving has decreased over the last decade; however, the consumption of other illegal drugs seems to have increased. The pattern of illegal psychoactive substance observed is similar to that declared in surveys of the general population of adults.

Detection of Drugs of Abuse among Drivers in Fayoum City/ Egypt

“…Special target groups are adult smokers in rural areas of Africa and Eastern Mediterranean (EMCDDA, 2004). The result of the current study is not consistent with a study conducted on public roads in Spain in 2015 which reported that the highest prevalence of positive results for cannabis (15.2%) was found in the younger age group (18-24 years), cannabis were also more frequently observed in urban areas (Domingo-Salvany A et al, 2015).…”

Data from roadside screening for psychoactive substances, alcohol and illicit drugs, among Spanish drivers in 2015

“…Detailed information about sample planning (considering both geographical and temporal aspects), driving recruitment, data collection and toxicological aspects can be found elsewhere [1], [3], [4]. Data obtained at the roadside with commercial screening instruments in 2015, after weighting, is presented.…”

“…Published results from previous editions of surveys conducted in Spain in 2008 and 2013 following the methodology set up in the framework of the European Union DRUID project (Driving Under the Influence of Drugs) [2] were weighted for traffic intensity. In the 2015 edition traffic intensity was measured in a slightly different way than previous ones and the results were published without weighting [1].…”

“…(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.07.005) Domingo-(Salvany et al, 2017) [1]. In that paper it was not possible to directly compare 2015 results with previous editions for various reasons, one of which was the lack of a similar weighting procedure.…”

Drogas de abuso em vítimas de mortes violentas no município de São Paulo

“…Salvany et al, 2017; Zeferino et al, 2017).Deve-se ressaltar que todos os casos incluídos neste estudo foram considerados como sendo vítimas do evento lesivo por falta de informações adicionais, porém não se deve ignorar o fato de que aqueles que vieram a ser vítimas também podem ter atuado como agressores em determinadas situações.Além disso, não foram obtidas amostras dos agressores que não vieram a óbito.Não foi possível, portanto, fazer a distinção do uso de substâncias psicoativas entre vítimas e agressores, como alguns autores já propuseram(Darke, 2010).…”