Introduction to Drugged Driving

What is a “Drug”?

• Working Definition of “Drug:

– Any substance that, when taken into the human body, can impair the ability of the person to operate a vehicle safely

2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings

• 8.7% of the population aged 12 years or older were current illicit drug users

• Marijuana continues to be the most commonly used illicit drug

• 6.7 million people were users of psychotherapeutic drugs taken non medically

• Estimated 1.4 million persons were current Cocaine users

Facts

• University of Tennessee found 40% of crash injured drivers had drugs other than alcohol in them

• The Maryland Shock Trauma Center found nearly one third of crash injured drivers had recently used marijuana

What are Drugs ?

• CNS Depressants• CNS Stimulants• Hallucinogens• Dissociative Anesthetics• Narcotic Analgesics• Inhalants• Cannibas

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CNS Depressants

• CNS depressants slow down the operations of the brain. They usually depress the heartbeat, blood pressure, respiration and many other processes controlled by the brain

• Barbiturates• Non-Barbiturates• Anti-Anxiety Tranquilizers• Anti-Depressants• Muscle relaxants and many other drugs• Common Types:

– Klonopine, Soma, Depakote– Rohypnol, Restorile, Zoloft– Xanax, Dilatin, Serazone– Wellbutrin, Zyprexa, Reglan

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General Indicators of CNS Depressant Influence

• “Drunken” behavior and appearance• Uncoordinated• Drowsy• Sluggish• Disoriented• Thick, slurred speech• Pupil size usually normal (except that the drug

Methaqualone and Soma usually cause pupils to dilate)

CNS Stimulants• Accelerate the heart rate, respiration and

many other processes of the body• Two most widely abused kinds of CNS

Stimulants are cocaine and methamphetamines

• Common Types:– Ritalin, Adderall, Didrex– Kava, Ectasy, Sudafed Cold Medicines

General Indicators of CNS Stimulant Influence

• Restlessness• Talkative• Excitation• Euphoria• Exaggerated

reflexes• Loss of

appetite

• Anxiety

• Grinding teeth

• Redness of nasal area

• Runny nose

• Body tremors

Hallucinogens• Drugs that affect a person’s perceptions, sensations,

thinking, self awareness, and emotions. All hallucinogens impair the user's ability to perceive the world as it really is.

• Common Types:– Mushrooms, LSD, Spice– K2, Excretion from Colorado River toad,DXM– Ectasy, Ketamine,

Synesthesia• Transposing of the senses–Sounds, for example, may be

transposed into sights–Sights, for example, may be

transposed into odors or sounds

General Indicators of Hallucinogen Influence

• Hallucinations• Dazed appearance• Body tremors• Uncoordinated• Perspiring• Disorientation• Paranoia• Difficulty in speech• Nausea• Piloerection

Dissociative Anesthetics• Originally developed for use as an anesthetic, PCP is a powerful drug that in

some ways acts like a depressant, in other ways like a stimulant, and in still other ways like an hallucinogen

• Dissociative Anesthetics are powerful anesthetics. However, they also cause bizarre and sometimes violent behavior.

• Dextromethorphan, DXM-Cough Suppressant• PCP• Ketamine

General Indicators of Dissociative Anesthetic Influence

• Warm to the touch• Perspiring• Blank stare• Repetitive speech• Incomplete verbal responses• Confused• Muscle rigidity• Possibly violent and combative

Narcotic Analgesics• A large number of drugs that share three important

characteristics– Relieve pain– Produce withdrawal signs and symptoms– Suppress the withdrawal signs and symptoms of chronic

morphine administration

• Common Types:– Heroin, Buprenex, Codeine– Tramadol, Methadone, Sublimaze– Fentanyl, Demerol, Morphine

General Indicators of Narcotic Analgesic Influence

• “On the nod”• Droopy eyelids• Depressed reflexes• Dry mouth• Facial itching• Low, raspy speech• Fresh puncture marks may be

evident

Inhalants• Some inhalants include psychoactive chemicals that produce a

variety of effects. Others exert their major effect by blocking the passage of oxygen to the brain.

• Breathable chemicals that produce mind-altering effects• Inhalants generally fall into one of three categories:

– Volatile Solvent– Aerosol– Anesthetic Gas

• Common Types:– Dust-off, paint, any aerosol spray,

• Often referred to as “HUFFING”

General Indicators of Inhalant Influence

• Disorientation• Slurred speech• Residue of substance on face, hands,

clothing• Confusion• Possible nausea

Cannabis• Marijuana and other Cannabis products impair the

attention process. Ability to perform divided attention tasks diminishes under the influence of Cannabis.

• Marijuana• Hashish• Hash Oil• THC• Skywalker, Trainwreck• AK-47, Sour Bubble

General Indicators of Cannabis Influence

• Marked reddening of the Conjunctivae• Body tremors• Odor of marijuana• Disoriented• Relaxed inhibitions• Difficulty in dividing attention

Poly Drug Use

• Combination of any two or more of the drug categories.• any combination of drugs may act together in four

general ways.– Null Effect -The combination of no action plus no action

equals no action.• Null Effect: The combination of no action plus no action equals no

action.

• EXAMPLE OF NULL EFFECTS: CNS Stimulant and Narcotic Analgesic.

• Neither drug causes nystagmus, there-fore you will not see nystagmus with this combination.

Poly Drug Use

– Overlapping - Each drug may affect the suspect in some different way. In combination, both effects may appear.• Overlapping Effect: Action plus no action equals action.• EXAMPLE OF OVERLAPPING EFFECTS: Dissociative Anesthetic

and Narcotic Analgesic. Dissociative Anesthetic will enhance nystagmus, while a Narcotic Analgesic does not cause nystagmus. There-fore, you will see nystagmus.

– Additive - The two drugs may independently produce some similar effects. In combination, these effects may be enhanced.• Additive Effect: Action plus the same action reinforces the

action.

Poly Drug Use• Additive Effect: Action plus the same action reinforces the action.• EXAMPLE OF ADDITIVE EFFECTS: Stimulants and Hallucinogens both

cause pupil dilation. Pupils would be dilated.

– Antagonistic - The two drugs may produce some effects that are exactly opposite. In combination, these effects may mask each other.• Antagonistic Effect: Action versus opposite action can’t predict the

outcome.• EXAMPLE OF ANTAGONISTIC EFFECTS: A CNS Stimulant usually causes

pupil dilation, a narcotic usually causes constriction. It is possible that someone who is simultaneously under the influence of a stimulant and a narcotic may have pupils that are nearly normal in size. It is also possible that the suspect's pupils may be dilated at one time, and then become constricted, as the effects of one drug diminish while the effects of the other increase.

How Do I Determine if a Person is under the influence of Drugs

• Standardized Field Sobriety Instructor• Certified Drug Recognition Expert• Standardized Field Sobriety Test-3 test– Once determined alcohol is not intoxicant-DRE

evaluation– DRE Evaluation• 12 Step evaluation that includes several different things

DRE Evaluation

• Step 1 - Breath Alcohol Test• Step 2 – Interview of Arresting Officer• Step 3 – Preliminary Examination– First Pulse– Initial Estimate of Pupil Size– Initial Angle of Onset

• Step 4 – Eye Examination – HGN– Lack of Smooth Pursuit– Distinct and Sustained Nystagmus at Maximum Deviation– Angle of Onset– Vertical Nystagmus– Lack of Convergence

DRE Evaluation

• Step 5 – Divided Attention Test1. Romberg Balance 2. Walk and Turn3. One Leg Stand 4. Finger to Nose

• Step 6 – Vital Signs – Second Pulse– PULSE 60-90 b.p.m– BLOOD PRESSURE

120-140 – Systolic 70 – 90 - Diastolic– BODY TEMPERATURE 98.6 F +/- 1.0 F

DRE Evaluation• 7. Dark Room Checks

– Pupil Size• Room Light – Avg 4.0 2.5-5.0• Near Total Darkness – Ang 6.5 5.0-8.5• Direct Light – Avg – 3.0 2.0-4.5

– Ingestion ExaminationNasal Area Oral Cavity

• 8. Check for Muscle Tone• 9. Check for Injection Sites –

– Third Pulse• 10. Interrogation of Subject-Observations• 11. Opinion of Evaluator• 12. Toxicological Sample

How do drugs affect the body

• Normal chemicals in body that reglate, temperature, blood pressure, brain activity and other body functions.

• When a drug, which is not produced by the body, is taken, the body immediately begins to create endorphins to combat the “new” stranger invader into the body.

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