Publications (2)2.46 Total impact
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Article: Incidence and toxicological aspects of cannabis and ethanol detected in 1394 fatally injured drivers and pedestrians in Ontario (1982-1984).
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ABSTRACT: A comprehensive epidemiological study of the involvement of cannabis and ethanol in motor vehicle fatalities in the Province of Ontario, Canada, is described. The study is based on toxicological analyses of blood and, when available, urine specimens. Ethanol was determined by headspace gas chromatography (GC). For cannabis, the methods employed were radioimmunoassays (RIAs) for screening and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for the determination of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in blood. The study sample consisted of 1169 drivers and 225 pedestrians. THC was detected in the blood of 127 driver victims (10.9%) in concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 37 ng/mL, with a mean of 3.1 +/- 5.0 ng/mL. Ethanol was found in 667 driver victims (57.1%), in concentrations ranging from 9 to 441 mg/100 mL, with a mean of 165.8 +/- 79.5 mg/100 mL. For pedestrians, the incidence of THC and ethanol in the blood was 7.6 and 53.3%, respectively. The incidence of THC in the driver victims in this study constitutes an approximately threefold increase over the results of an Ontario study completed in 1979. At least a part of the increase may be attributed to interstudy differences in analytical methodology for cannabinoids.Journal of Forensic Sciences 10/1990; 35(5):1035-41. · 1.23 Impact Factor -
Article: Incidence and toxicological aspects of drugs detected in 484 fatally injured drivers and pedestrians in Ontario.
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ABSTRACT: Results are presented of a comprehensive drug study carried out on specimens from drivers and pedestrians fatally injured in Ontario. Toxicological analyses were regularly performed on blood and urine and occasionally on vitreous humor, stomach contents, and liver. The analytical procedures could detect and quantitate a wide variety of drugs including such illicit drugs as Cannabis. With respect to drivers, alcohol was found in 57% of the study sample and drugs other than alcohol, in 26%. However, in only 9.5% of the drivers were psychoactive drugs (other than alcohol) detected in the blood in concentrations that may adversely affect driving skills. Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and diazepam accounted for a majority of the findings in this category.Journal of Forensic Sciences 11/1982; 27(4):855-67. · 1.23 Impact Factor
