Citation

Schmidt U, Romhild W, Sprung R, Stiller D, Wolf M, Krause D. Blutalkohol 2000; 37(3): 119-125.

Affiliation

Institut fur Rechtsmedizin, Otto-von-Guericke-Universitat, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, International Committee on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety and Bund gegen Alkohol und Drogen im Straßenverkehr, Publisher Steintor Verlag)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Since 1994 the Federal State of Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt) has been faced with an exponential increase both in the quantity of narcotic drugs that are confiscated each year, as well as the number of first time drug users. In addition they are faced with higher demands on drug determination in blood and urine samples at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Magdeburg. Prevoius examinations of blood alcohol samples performed at the forensic institutes of the Universities of Homburg/Saar and Magdeburg had revealed an increasing drug consumption on very different levels when comparing the Saarland to Sachsen-Anhalt. In 1997 and 1998 additional blood samples had been taken at random from suspected DUI road users stopped by the police. They were tested for cannabinoids, opiates and benzodiazepines at the forensic institute of the Universities of Halle, Hannover, Gottingen and Magdeburg. There was no suspected influence of any 'other intoxicating substances'. While 8.3 % of all suspected DUI road users stopped by the police in Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) who were indeed found driving under the influence of alcohol, had also consumed cannabinoids, in Sachsen-Anhalt that share was much lower, amounting to only 3.5 %. No significant regional differences could be detected with regard to the incidences of opiates and benzodiazepines.