Analytical Approaches and Trends in the Determination of Psychoactive Drugs in Air

Understanding of the levels of psychoactive drugs in air is important for assessing both occupational and environmental exposure. Intelligence on the usage and manufacture of illegal drugs can also be gained. Environmental analysis and determination of air quality has recently expanded from its traditional focus to new pollutant categories that include illicit and psychoactive drugs. This is attributed to a greater part on the development of new, advanced techniques, such as liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS), allowing for the trace determination of such compounds down to the parts-per-trillion (ng/L) levels generally reported in air. Studies have also investigated the effects of firsthand and secondhand smoking of drugs, such as cocaine, cannabis and opium. Generally, these have shown secondhand smoke effects to be limited, apart from in the case of opium. Some studies have highlighted ill effects resulting through the exposure of vapors and dusts from the storage of drugs, but this has been shown to result from mould and other fungal contaminates. Investigations into the possible occupational exposures resulting from the use of anesthetic drugs in surgery and accident and emergency have focused on nitrous oxide, sevoflurane, methoxyflurane, isoflurane, propofol and fentanyl. This review focuses on developments and applications for the determination of psychoactive drugs in air.

The role of an anesthesiologist in the pandemic of uncontrolled use of psychotropic drugs

In the modern world, the number of people using various psychotropic drugs increases every day. The situation that has been described in recent decades associated with the use of narcotic and not criminalized substances in international literature as the OPIOID + (plus) crisis. According to statistics, over the past few years, officially registered deaths from drug overdose have exceeded 70,000 in the United States. Leading causes were synthetic opioids, psychostimulants, and cocaine. This includes prescription opioids, opiates, benzodiazepines, and antidepressants. All aforementioned drugs are used in combination with each other, with alcohol or psychotropic marijuana. For humans, biological, social, and psychological factors are cause the initiation of psychoactive drugs. Due to the lack of a well-functioning medical care system for patients with chronic pain, doctors of all specialties treat pain. In this article, we consider the current situation with mind-altering drugs and apply the role of the anesthesiologist in reducing the growth rate of the opioid pandemic.

Consumption, risk factors, and the impact of psychoactive substances in road transport by professional drivers: a review

Traffic accidents are a serious public health problem, especially in developing countries. Driving under the influence of psychoactive substances, such as illicit drugs, can significantly increase the risk of motor vehicle accidents. This fact potentiates the probability of serious traffic accidents occurring, making it necessary to combat them with seriousness and urgency. Many road traffic crashes are related to sleepiness and/or fatigue. In addition to long driving hours, important contributors to fatigue among professional drivers are insufficient night-time sleep and insufficient rest breaks. Research data on the topic show that several psychoactive drugs alter the motor and cognitive capacity of users, however, most of these studies pointed out such outcomes based on the prevalence of illicit drug use in professional hospitalized drivers. Despite the existence of laws against driving doped, the effectiveness of these laws in controlling the problem is questionable. For this research, the study was conducted to highlight and discuss, by a descriptive review, the consumption of psychoactive substances among professional drivers, and the role of working conditions in the prediction of such use. Data about drug use were obtained in this review aims to contribute for the development of preventive measures, especially public policies on the risks of driving while under the influence of psychoactive drugs.

Forensic and pharmaceutical research on the impact of drugs on the safety, life and health of road users within the organization of pharmaceutical business, drug technology, pharmaceutical and medical law in Ukraine

Background. Around the world, drug-related road traffic accidents are one of the leading causes of injury and death among road users. Traffic safety is a system that includes the following components: a person – a person's health condition – the use of dangerous drugs of different classification and legal groups – adverse drug reactions – a vehicle – a road. The share of road traffic accidents under the influence of drugs is more than 75 %, they are also the most socially dangerous, because they have grave consequences, cause irreparable harm to the health and death of the victims. The purpose of the study was to analyze the achievements of forensic and pharmaceutical researches in Ukraine on the impact of drugs on the safety, life and health of road users within the framework of the organization of pharmaceutical business, drug technology, pharmaceutical and medical law in a retrospective aspect. Materials and methods. The materials of the imperative research were legislative, regulatory and legal documents; materials of the formation of the scientific school of forensic pharmacy; scientific publications on the topic of the article; Internet resources, sources of scientific literature. To achieve the set goals, the methods of forensic and pharmaceutical, regulatory, documentary, bibliographic, comparative, historical and graphic analysis were used. Results. The experience of the countries of the world in the prophylaxis and prevention of road traffic accidents under the influence of drugs was analyzed. The causes and conditions for the occurrence and consequences of road traffic accidents are multifactorial in nature and are associated with the victims (driver - pedestrian), vehicle, road conditions, and the use of psychoactive drugs. A system of organizational, regulatory and preventive measures has been developed to provide first medical aid to victims of a road traffic accident. Shown that there is a need for scientifically grounded organizational and legal, clinical and pharmacological, forensic pharmaceutical and socio-economic studies on causal relationships between adverse reactions due to the use of drugs of various classification and legal groups, traffic safety and road traffic accidents. For the first time in Ukraine, a mathematical model was proposed to establish the effect of psychoactive drugs on the driver's condition when driving a vehicle, depending on the calculation of the stopping path of the car in accordance with the selected speed and a decrease in the driver's response. The structure of road traffic accidents under the influence of psychoactive drugs has been investigated. Conclusions. A classification of first-aid kits for providing first medical aid to victims of road traffic accidents was proposed, which made it possible to substantiate the need to improve them both in qualitative and quantitative composition, depending on the type of vehicle and the likelihood of an accident with serious consequences. Recommendations were proposed for providing information on the possibility of obtaining medical care and the signal-calling system on the roads, marking the packages of psychoactive drugs with a special mark in the form of a red triangle. The need for further forensic pharmaceutical research has been proven.

THE USE OF PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS AMONG STREET LADIES IN ABA METROPOLIS OF NIGERIA: AN ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

Introduction: The use of psychoactive drugs among ladies is engaged in on an alarming increase in the postmodern Nigerian society, as it remains one of the public health and social vices that affects the contemporary human community. Purpose: The objectives of this study were to identify the drugs mostly abused and to determine the risk behaviours they engage in when under the influence of psychoactive drugs. Methodology: This study adopted a cross-sectional approach involving the use of oral interview and a semi- structured questionnaire as the instrument of data collection. This involved 20 interviewees in simple random selection. The data collected were analyzed using a descriptive statistics and statistical test of significance and results presented in charts. Findings: Major findings in this study attest to the fact that the mostly abused psychoactive drugs are Cigarette, Indian hemp, tramadol and codeine, cocaine. The use of psychoactive drugs is precursory to mental health challenges, depression, and behavioural abnormalities among younger women. The risk behaviours engaged when under the influence of these psychoactive drugs are aggressiveness/ ready to fight, unrestricted sexual activities, desire for more drug use. Consequently, the study findings maintain that the perpetration of heinous crimes that are carried out in the society cannot be independent of the influence of drugs, since the abused psychoactive drugs alter the normal function of the brain thus affecting the mental health of the user. Contribution to theory, practice and policy: Therefore, public health education and promotion with a focus on dissuading the unrestricted circulation and abuse of psychoactive drugs, especially among Aba young ladies is perceived profitable. Conclusion and Recommendation: Community awareness regarding drug and substance among women and constant checkmating of the activities of street girls should be carried out.

Substance Use Disorders and Psychoactive Drug Poisoning in Medically Authorized Cannabis Patients: Longitudinal Cohort Study

Objectives Poisoning from psychoactive drugs and substance use disorders (SUD) have been reported among non-medical cannabis users. However, little is known about medical cannabis users and their risk for poisoning and/or development of SUD. This study assessed the risk of emergency department (ED) visits or hospitalization for 1) poisoning by psychoactive drugs and 2) mental/behavioural disorders due to the use of psychoactive drugs and other substances, in medically authorized cannabis patients in Ontario, Canada from 2014–2017. Methods A cohort study of adult patients authorized for medical cannabis that were matched to population-based controls. ED visit/hospitalization were assessed with a main diagnostic code for: 1) poisoning by psychoactive drugs; 2) mental and behavioural disorder due to psychoactive drugs or other substance use. Conditional Cox proportional hazards regressions were conducted. Results 18,653 cannabis patients were matched to 51,243 controls. During a median follow-up of 243 days, the incidence rate for poisoning was 4.71 per 1,000 person-years (95%CI: 3.71–5.99) for cases and 1.73 per 1,000 person-years (95% CI: 1.36–2.19) for controls. The adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) was 2.45 (95%CI: 1.56–3.84). For mental/behavioural disorders, the incident rates were 8.89 (95% CI: 7.47–10.57) and 5.01 (95% CI: 4.36–5.76) in the cannabis and the controls group. The aHR was 2.27 (95%CI: 1.66–3.11). No difference was observed between males and females ( P-value for interaction > 0.05). Conclusions Our study observed a short-term increased risk of ED visit/hospitalization for poisoning or for mental/behavioural disorders (from use of psychoactive drugs and other substances)- in medically authorized cannabis patients.