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Hair Analysis to Evaluate Polydrug Use.

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Summary

Polydrug use, especially involving cocaine and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹-THC), is common among drivers. Hair analysis reveals this long-term drug abuse pattern in 12.15% of subjects, predominantly young males.

Keywords:
driving peoplehairpolydrug use

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Area of Science:

  • Forensic Toxicology
  • Drug Abuse Research
  • Analytical Chemistry

Background:

  • Polydrug use is prevalent in Europe, but often studied in limited groups.
  • Concurrent polydrug use is less understood than simultaneous use.
  • Hair analysis offers a robust method for detecting long-term illicit drug consumption.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate concurrent polydrug use patterns in drivers.
  • To analyze drug combinations and user demographics.
  • To evaluate the utility of hair analysis for polydrug use detection.

Main Methods:

  • Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of hair samples.
  • Analysis of samples positive for opiates, cocaine, and Δ⁹-THC.
  • Data collection from 2010-2020.

Main Results:

  • 12.15% of drivers exhibited polydrug use.
  • Polydrug users were predominantly young males.
  • Cocaine and Δ⁹-THC was the most frequent combination, followed by cocaine/morphine and morphine/Δ⁹-THC.

Conclusions:

  • Concurrent polydrug use is a significant issue among drivers.
  • Hair analysis provides valuable objective data on long-term polydrug use.
  • Understanding these patterns is crucial for public health and safety initiatives.