Drug identification calls from law enforcement received by Texas poison control centers, 2002-2004

Aside from calls involving human exposures to potentially toxic substances, poison control centers handle other types of calls such as drug identifications (drug IDs). A portion of drug ID requests originates from law enforcement. The objective of this study was to describe such drug ID requests from law enforcement received by Texas poison control centers during 2002-2004. These calls were examined with respect to year of call, location of caller, and type of drug. There were in total 26,752 drug ID calls (involving 27,800 individual drug ID requests) from law enforcement, representing 3% of total calls and 16% of all drug ID calls received. The number of drug ID calls received from law enforcement and the proportion of total calls and all drug ID calls these represented increased from 2002 to 2004. A disproportionate number of the drug ID requests originated from eastern-central Texas. The most frequently involved drugs were analgesics (particularly acetaminophen and hydrocodone), sedatives and related drugs (particularly alprazolam), and muscle relaxants (particularly carisoprodol).