Abstract

QUIROGA, Patricia Noemí et al. Profile of consumption of cocaine, cannabis and opiates in the toxicology laboratory CENATOXA. Acta bioquím. clín. latinoam. [online]. 2008, vol.42, n.4, pp.549-555. ISSN 0325-2957.

A study was conducted in order to know what drugs of abuse are most commonly consumed by the population that comes to CENATOXA, as well as which the consumption patterns and consultation profiles are. A retrospective study was conducted in 2,635 cases for which, during 1995 to 2006, a toxicologycal urine analysis of cocaine, cannabis and opiates was requested. The analytical methodologies applied were immunoassay tests, standardized thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In the studied sample (n=529), 20% were positive: 50.66% was due to cannabis, 37.43% to cocaine, 2.08% to opiates and 9.83% to combination of cannabis-cocaine. Sixty-two per cent of positive cases were male subjects, and the highest consumption of cannabis was seen in the 11 to 30 year-old age group; that of cocaine was seen in the 21 to 40 year-old age group and the combination of cannabis-cocaine in the 11 to 30 year-old group. In assessing the reason for test request a similar predominance of addiction control (31.1%) and drug abuse suspicion (29.67%) was found. Cannabis is the drug of abuse most commonly consumed; mono consumption is usual in this population and drug consumption is higher in males and people under 30 years old.

Keywords : Drug abuse; Cannabis; Cocaine; Opiate.

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