Problems of Forensic Sciences 2002 Vol. 50 (L) 78-90
FORENSIC TOXICOLOGICAL PRACTICE IN THE LIGHT OF THE AVAILABILITY OF DRUGS OF ABUSE
Joanna KULIKOWSKA, Halina SYBIRSKA
Chair and Department of Forensic Medicine, Silesian Medical Academy, Katowice
Streszczenie
In the years 1997–2001, 132 cases of sudden death after taking drugs were investigated. Toxicological analysis of body fluids (blood, urine) showed that death was caused by opium narcotics, particularly so-called “Polish heroin” (home-made poppy products) in 46 cases, and by psychotropic agents from the amphetamine derivatives group in 12 cases. In 55 cases the presence of two or more psychoactive substances was determined. Moreover, narcotics were found in 19 people who died suddenly for reasons other than poisoning. Observations made in the period mentioned above concerning the quality of psychotropic agents taken from drug dealers indicated the dominance of canabinoids (1051 samples), amphetamine (927 samples) and its derivatives (45 samples), and “Polish heroin” (445 samples) on the drugs market. Cocaine (8 samples) andLSD(10 samples) were rarer. The concentration of active components covered a broad range: 5.00–93.70% for amphetamine derivatives, very small amounts – 37.00% for canabinoids and 0.24–40.00 mg/ml for “Polish heroin”. In the “amphetamine” group the high frequency of adulterated samples was noteworthy – 591 out of 1047 “amphetamine” samples were adulterated, and also present on the market were 75 samples of “imitation amphetamine”, which did not contain any amphetamine at all. The presence of phenotiazine (11 cases) and benzodiazepine derivatives (1 case) and also salicylic acid (1 case) was found in “Polish heroin”. Other additional components found in amphetamine derivatives were inorganic salts such as chlorides, nitrates, borax and also pharmaceutical agents such as paracetamol, acetylsalicylic acid, caffeine, ibuprofen, co-trimoxazole, mefenamic acid, metamizole, glucose and saccharose.
In “Polish heroin” the presence of promethazine (10 cases), chloropromazine (1 case), diazepam (1 case) and salicylic acid (1 case) was observed. Active substances were as follows: verapamil, tramadol, oxazepam, carbamazepine, paracetamol, acetylsalicylic acid, salicylic acid, piracetam, caffeine, estazolam, pemoline and glucose. Amphetamine derivatives, which are dominant on the Polish drugs market, do not significantly increase the death rate amongst drug-addicts. “Polish heroin” seems to constitute the highest risk factor for fatal poisonings.
Słowa kluczowe
Drug addiction; Supply of drugs; Fatal poisonings.