In relation to alcohol, drugs and driving, there are two offences set out in the Road Traffic Act of 1988: impairment under the influence of drink or drugs; and driving with more than the prescribed limit of alcohol. Scotland has been relatively late in developing a problem with the misuse of drugs. In 1984, for example, there are only two recorded deaths from the misuse of heroin in the Registrar Generals Report for Scotland. This figure has increased dramatically to 101 deaths in 1993, and, if present trends are followed, will exceed 120 deaths in the current year. Deaths in the late 1980s involved primarily heroin but since then, the trend has been towards the use of benzodiazepines, primarily Temazepam. Consequently in 1992, 79 percent of all drug addict deaths involved a benzodiazephine drug. Temazepam was involved in 90 percent either alone or in combination with Diazepam. In 1993, 207 blood samples were received from Police Forces in Scotland. One hundred and thirty were found to contain drugs. Of these, 97 contained Benzodiazepine drugs either alone or in combination with other drugs. This paper describes the analytical procedures used, presents the findings and compares them with the results of the investigations of the most recent deaths from the abuse of drugs. (A)
Samenvatting