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Increase in drugs‐of‐abuse findings in post‐mortem toxicology due to COVID‐19 restrictions—First observations in Finland
- Source :
- Drug Testing and Analysis
- Publication Year :
- 2020
- Publisher :
- Wiley, 2020.
-
Abstract
- A lot has been published on the anticipated effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic on users of illegal drugs. In this study, we present evidence-based data on such effects, namely, the increased number of drug findings in post-mortem investigations. All post-mortem toxicology cases positive for at least one of the following: buprenorphine, amphetamine or cannabis, were investigated in the first 8 months of the year 2020, and the monthly numbers were compared to those in the previous 5 years from 2015 to 2019. These substances served as indicator analytes that could reveal changes in the drug using population. Right after the government restrictions came into force in March 2020, the numbers of buprenorphine, amphetamine and cannabis findings increased. The increase was most noticeable for amphetamine and was evident in all age groups. Our findings indicate that the assumptions on the increased risk of drug-related harm (including death) have become reality. Reduced access to harm-reduction services seems to have increased the mortality among individuals that use buprenorphine, amphetamine or cannabis. Significant and prompt actions need to be taken in order to find new ways in helping this vulnerable group of people. Non
- Subjects :
- Drug
medicine.medical_specialty
Substance-Related Disorders
media_common.quotation_subject
Population
Pharmaceutical Science
01 natural sciences
Analytical Chemistry
03 medical and health sciences
Forensic Toxicology
0302 clinical medicine
Harm Reduction
medicine
Humans
Environmental Chemistry
030216 legal & forensic medicine
Dronabinol
Amphetamine
education
Psychiatry
Finland
Spectroscopy
media_common
Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists
education.field_of_study
Harm reduction
biology
business.industry
Illicit Drugs
010401 analytical chemistry
Forensic toxicology
COVID-19
319 Forensic science and other medical sciences
biology.organism_classification
3142 Public health care science, environmental and occupational health
3. Good health
0104 chemical sciences
Buprenorphine
Analgesics, Opioid
Harm
317 Pharmacy
Central Nervous System Stimulants
Cannabis
Autopsy
business
medicine.drug
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 19427611 and 19427603
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Drug Testing and Analysis
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....8afdbe317ba6a910aa3c223e74d2d7c2
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1002/dta.2982