Driving under the Influence of Flualprazolam: 11 Case Reports

Area of Science:

• Forensic Toxicology
• Pharmacology
• Traffic Safety

Background:

• Driving under the influence (DUI) poses significant public safety risks.
• Emerging novel psychoactive substances (NPS) like flualprazolam present challenges in DUI investigations.
• Understanding the impairment effects of flualprazolam is crucial for law enforcement and public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the driving impairment effects of flualprazolam.
• To correlate observed driving behaviors with flualprazolam presence in suspected DUI cases.

Main Methods:

• Case series analysis of eleven suspected flualprazolam DUI incidents.
• Review of police reports and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) examinations.
• Analysis of blood flualprazolam concentrations.

Main Results:

• All eleven cases exhibited significant driving impairments (e.g., weaving, slow driving, collisions).
• Observed impairment signs were consistent with central nervous system depressant effects.
• Mean and median blood flualprazolam concentrations were below 15 ng/mL.

Conclusions:

• Flualprazolam, even at low concentrations, can substantially impair safe driving.
• Objective signs of impairment are indicative of central nervous system depression.
• Further research is needed for comprehensive toxicological analysis and establishing per se limits.