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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: To study the use of alcohol and drugs among the general driving population in the south-eastern part of Norway and to compare the findings with the results from a similar roadside survey in 2008-9.
METHODS: A roadside survey of drivers of cars, vans, motorcycles and mopeds was performed from April 2016 to April 2017 in collaboration with the Mobile Police Service. Oral fluid was collected using the Quantisal device and analysed for alcohol, illicit drugs and psychoactive medicinal drugs. Age, sex, time and geographical region were recorded.
RESULTS: Of the 5556 drivers who were asked to participate in the study, 518 drivers (9.3%) declined to participate, and four samples contained insufficient volume of oral fluid to be analysed; thus, 5034 drivers were included. Fifteen drivers (0.3%) suspected by the police for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs refused to participate in the study, so the alcohol and drug findings represent minimum values. The weighted prevalence of alcohol concentrations above the legal limit 0.2 g/L was 0.2%, which is similar to the finding in the 2008-9 survey. The weighted prevalences of medicinal drugs and illicit drugs were 3.0% and 1.7%, respectively; those numbers included some more drugs than in 2008-9 survey and are therefore not comparable. The most prevalent illicit and medicinal drugs were tetrahydrocannabinol (1.3%) and zopiclone (1.4%). The prevalences of benzodiazepines and amphetamines were significantly lower than detected in the 2008-9 survey. Only one sample tested positive for a New Psychoactive Substance.
CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of samples that tested positive for alcohol had not changed since 2008-9, whereas the proportions that tested positive for benzodiazepines and amphetamines were lower. There are several possible reasons for the reduction: implementation of legal limits for 28 drugs in 2012-16, increased use of drug recognition tests, the implementation of drug screening instruments and automatic number plate recognition by the police since 2010, more focused enforcement of the DUI law, better information to drivers, and changes in drug prescriptions.
Language: en |