Drugs of abuse in forensic toxicology: recommendations and interpretation for medical-legal purposes

Abstract

This handbook covers alcohol, classic drugs of abuse and new psychoactive drugs. These toxicants are involved in numerous matters: crimes against public health, chemical submission or vulnerability, abuse, drug addiction, traffic accidents... and in the determination of some causes of death, a practical and useful manual that can help the medical examiner. In this way, it has been organized into: a sampling chapter, several chapters that deal with the main drugs of abuse (according to their prevalence in our environment), and a final chapter that deals with aspects about the general toxicological interpretation in medico-forensic cases. Knowledge of forensic toxicology of the major drugs of abuse can solve many of the problems that the medical examiner may encounter, such as: appropriate sampling, reporting of toxicological laboratory results or medical centers, or how to adequately respond to questions that may arise in this regard during the oral trial.