Summary

Drug impaired driving is a significant concern for law enforcement agencies worldwide. Oral fluid testing for roadside impairment assessment is rapidly gaining popularity due to its distinct advantages over blood testing. The benefits of oral fluid testing include:

• Fully observed, non-invasive, gender-neutral sample collection
  
• Availability of point-of-care testing devices for roadside and worksite use
• Drug results reflective of recent use
• Higher drug concentrations in oral fluid compared to blood, improving detection.

Oral fluid can be used as both a screening and confirmatory tool in DUID (Driving Under the Influence of Drugs) cases.

Learning Objectives

The audience will learn why oral fluid testing is a suitable and reliable method for detecting driving under the influence of drugs and how to implement a successful roadside drug testing program including the:

• Pharmacology of drug disposition into oral fluid
• Benefits of oral fluid testing and its application in roadside testing programs.

Presenter Biography

Sergeant Muriel is the second Chief of the Bureau of Police Reports of the Operational Area at the Guardia Civil Traffic Department Directorate. Guardia Civil has been leading efforts on drug testing on the roadside to create a safer environment on roads.

Prior to his current role, Sergeant Muriel investigated crash accidents for eight years at Traffic Department of Guardia Civil and he has vast knowledge on roadside drug testing, its implementation, challenges and benefits. He has attended specialized training on drug detection and its consequences in road safety, risk prevention and traffic psychology. Sergeant Muriel has also worked with the Intervention Security Group for 10 years and served as Chief of the Bureau in the Provost Marshal Office, Military Police Department.

Professor Huestis retired as a tenured senior investigator and Chief of the Chemistry and Drug Metabolism Section at NIDA after 23 years of conducting controlled drug administration studies. She cherishes this opportunity and is most proud of mentoring doctoral and post-doctoral scientists at NIDA from more than 20 countries. Her research program focused on discovering mechanisms of action of cannabinoid agonists and antagonists, effects of in utero drug exposure, oral fluid testing, driving under the influence of drugs, and the neurobiology and pharmacokinetics of novel psychoactive substances.

Her research also explored new medication targets for cannabis dependence, including oral THC and Sativex. Dr. Huestis has 548 publications to her credit. Her 1st publication was at the age of 42 which means her publication rate is more than a manuscript/month for the last 3 decades. Dr Huestis was an Adjunct Professor at University of Maryland School of Medicine, until 2017.

Who Should Watch

Law Enforcement, Legislators