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Readable research linked to original sources
Browse normalized, publication-ready research with direct links to its evidence and source.
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Readable research linked to original sources
Browse normalized, publication-ready research with direct links to its evidence and source.
42 articles
Newest firstIntroduction In drug facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) the victim is unable to consent to the sexual act due to influence of alcohol, narcotics, or medicine. Increasing the awareness of characteristics associated with DFSA can assist the judicial system in early recognition of cases and guide public health interventions for reducing DFSA. This study aims to assess characteristics of DFSA victims compared to victim…
Open article record in new tab ↗Cannabis sativa is one of the oldest and most versatile plants with many facets ranging from intoxicant to medicine. Legalisation of medicinal cannabis leads to an increasing complexity of specific forensic questions to distinguish between recreational and medicinal use, for example, in context with participation in road traffic. Hence, there is a recent interest in finding objective markers that enable the differ…
Open article record in new tab ↗Purpose A powder found at a fatality scene, labeled as the synthetic cathinone 3',4'-methylenedioxy-α-pyrrolidinohexiophenone (MDPHP) and most likely smoked using a crack pipe, was analyzed. The powder was identified as very potent synthetic cannabinoid ADB-BUTINACA/ADB-BINACA with a high purity (> 98%). This case highlights the risks associated with mislabeled novel psychoactive substances (NPS), particularly tho…
Hair analysis is a well-established matrix in forensic toxicology, offering a valuable alternative or complement to traditional matrices in diverse contexts, including drug-facilitated crimes (DFC), elder abuse, and accidental exposure in children. However, objective interpretation of hair drug concentrations remains challenging due to significant inter-study variability, even for identical compounds. This study i…
With its widespread recreational and increasing medical use, ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC), the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, is regularly subjected to drug testing in clinical and forensic toxicology. ∆8- and ∆10-THC have recently entered unregulated drug markets. Their close structural similarity to ∆9-THC poses various analytical challenges, with a high risk of misidentification and misinterpretati…
Open article record in new tab ↗The detection of drugs of abuse in biological and non-biological matrices remains a cornerstone of forensic, clinical, and public health investigations. Traditional matrices such as urine and blood provide short-term evidence of drug intake, while alternative specimens such as hair offer extended detection windows, and oral fluid provides a reliable indicator of recent drug intake comparable to blood. This review…
Open article record in new tab ↗Background/Objectives: Antidepressants are widely prescribed medications that may affect psychomotor performance and driving ability depending on their pharmacological profile. This study investigated the prevalence and patterns of antidepressant use among drivers undergoing forensic toxicological evaluation and explored their potential implications for road safety. Methods: An observational study was conducted on…
Open article record in new tab ↗The pharmacokinetics of the semisynthetic cannabinoid hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) and its 11-nor-carboxy- as well as 11-hydroxy-metabolites has already been the subject of research in various recent publications. However, further metabolism studies showed the presence of other, especially (side-chain-)hydroxylated metabolites in urine and serum. This study aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of these metabolit…
The growing use of e-cigarettes as vehicles for illicit drug delivery has created an urgent challenge for forensic surveillance and public health in East Asia. This study analyzed 496 e-liquid samples seized by law-enforcement agencies in Eastern Taiwan (January-July 2025) using a full-scan GC-MS workflow validated in accordance with ANSI/ASB forensic toxicology standards. Overall, 80.8% of samples (n = 401) teste…
Open article record in new tab ↗Forensic entomologists estimate minimum post-mortem intervals (PMImin) by measuring the development of larvae on decomposing bodies. Entomotoxicology assumes significance when the deceased had ingested drugs, as these may alter insect development and consequently the accuracy of PMImin estimations. 5F-ADB, ADB-BUTINACA, and MDMB-4en-PINACA are potent synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists and drugs of abuse, link…
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or "ecstasy," is a commonly used drug worldwide, including in New Zealand, where 4.8% of the population aged 15 years or over reported using it in a 2023/2024 survey. This study provides additional insights on MDMA prevalence data in New Zealand by reporting toxicology data from Coronial and driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) cases positive for MDMA between 2010 an…
Open article record in new tab ↗The increase of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in breath after cannabis inhalation has been well-documented in the forensic field, but the trends after ingestion of cannabis-infused edibles have not yet been investigated. In this study, participants ingested a cannabis-infused edible and provided breath samples before and at three timepoints after ingestion. Participants were assigned to one of two breath sampling…
Open article record in new tab ↗Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) have rapidly diversified the global drug market, creating escalating challenges for forensic toxicology and mortality surveillance. While regional reports have described fatal NPS involvement, the global prevalence and temporal trends of NPS detection in fatalities are insufficiently quantified. A search following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Ana…
The rapid structural evolution and extensive metabolism of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) following consumption makes their detection in biological samples challenging, especially in urine. In vitro metabolite identification studies are an essential tool for identifying analytical targets to confirm SCRA consumption in clinical and forensic toxicology casework. Systematic studies on structurally r…
Drug-facilitated crime (DFC) is a criminal act (e.g., assault, robbery, or sexual assault) in which the perpetrator uses drugs to impair the victim's ability to resist, remember, or recognize the crime being committed. Ethanol is commonly implicated in DFC casework, but limited data are published on other substances currently implicated in these crimes. DFC cases submitted to a large forensic reference laboratory…
Open article record in new tab ↗The rapid detection of 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH), a primary cannabis metabolite, is critical for forensic and workplace drug testing. However, conventional immunoassays often lack sensitivity and objectivity. We developed a portable lateral flow immunoassay device with a microfluidic cartridge and fluorescent reader for the semi-quantitative detection of THC-COOH in urine. A test-to-…
Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) continue to show high prevalence on the new psychoactive substances drug market. Around 2019-2020, new SCRAs bearing a cumyl moiety emerged: Cumyl-CBMEGACLONE and Cumyl-NBMEGACLONE, carrying a cyclobutyl methyl (CBM) and a norbornyl methyl moiety (NBM) attached to the γ-carbolinone core. These were followed by Cumyl-NBMINACA, the indazole carboxamide analog of Cumyl-…
This study investigates the prevalence of substance use among victims and perpetrators involved in clinical forensic cases. Urine samples from 455 individuals aged 18 and above, collected in 2019, were analyzed using two LC-MS-based analytical methods and an HS-GC-FID method for the most frequently reported substances of abuse and medication. Data from case documents, encompassing gender, age, and the individual's…
Open article record in new tab ↗Background/objectives Epigenetics refers to heritable modifications in gene expression that do not involve changes to the DNA sequence. Among these, DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs play a key role in regulating gene activity and are influenced by environmental factors, including exposure to psychoactive substances. In recent years, it has been hypothesized that such alterations may serv…
On-site drug screening of oral fluid samples has gained attention because of its convenience and rapid results. The aim of this investigation was to compare the results of preliminary screening for drugs in oral fluid samples collected from suspected drug-impaired drivers using DrugWipe 6S and WipeAlyser reader with the results obtained from blood samples. Additionally, we compared the DrugWipe test results with f…