Considerazioni sulle matrici biologiche idonee alla valutazione dell’“attualità d’uso di sostanze illecite” ai fini degli articoli 186 e 187 del nuovo Codice della Strada

AUTORI

ABSTRACT

Thoughts on biological matrices suitable for the assessment of "current use of illicit drugs" according to articles 186 and 187 of new Rules of the Road

Data on detection times of drugs of abuse in different biological matrices are based on pharmacokinetic studies in healthy volunteers during controlled clinical trials. The detection times mainly depend on the dose, route of administration, frequency of consumption (acute or chronic), detection limit of the assay employed for substance determination and matrix being analyzed (blood, saliva, urine, hair). Literature data agree that biologic effects drugs of abuse exert on the body match the presence of such substances and/or their metabolites in blood and/or saliva. Only after hepatic metabolism and renal excretion processes substances and/or their metabolites appear in urine, the last compartment from which substances are eliminated from the body. Hair analysis provides information on consumption of drugs of abuse in months prior to cutting of hair lock. These findings have relevance for the purposes of articles 186 and 187 of new Rules of the Road. Whereas in the case of alcohol, the law specifies in detail the biological matrix and the type of equipment to be used for the determination, for drugs of abuse it is unclear on what matrix is more appropriate to evaluate the presence of a substance of abuse and/or its metabolites in order to establish or better confirm driving under the influence of these substances. In this contribution, based on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic considerations, we aim to reaffirm the most suitable biological matrices to determine the “current use of illicit drugs”.

BIBLIOGRAFIA