ABSTRACT

The contribution of drugs to traffic accidents has been eva-luated in a number of publications. In the last decade, several interesting development have occurred in the field of roadside testing for drugs. The need for a rapid, valid and suitable road-side test for the abused drugs focused the attention on alterna-tive matrixes including oral fluid, urine and sweat, for detec-ting the drivers under the influence of drugs (DUID). Europe-an Union (EU)-project ROSITA (Road Side Testing Assessment) revealed that, a wide variety of illicit drugs can be found in different biological specimen of drivers where cannabis, opiates, amphetamine and its derivatives are those with the hig-hest prevalence.

Ege University and Head Council of Turkish Police coor-dinated and Cozart Bioscience Limited supported this project. The objectives of this project were to detect the usability and practicability of this test, besides revealing the possible prob-lems during roadside drug testing encountered by the police. This study was performed on an experimental basis with vo-luntary participation of randomly selected drivers for the detection of abused drugs in street traffic, besides alcohol. They agreed to participate through informed consent. Oral fluid tes-ting ( Cozart Rapiscan drug testing) for five panel drugs (Can-nabinoids, amphetamine, cocaine, opiates, benzodiazepines) was performed. 25 oral fluid samples were screened according to Cozart Bioscience instructions,. Confirmation was made by GC-MS. The oral fluid sample was positive for MDA at a con-centration of 65 ng/mL and for MDMA at a concentration of 180 ng/mL.

Keywords: Driving under the influence of drugs (DUID), roadside drug testing, oral fluid