The latest data on worldwide drug consumption has just been published. This is an extensive study looking at drug and drug metabolites in city waste water.
Results are expressed as drug concentrations in mg per 1000 population per day.
Unsurprisingly, drug use peaks at the weekend.
Below is the table for BZE the Cocaine metabolite.
Of ALL the European cities, Middlesbrough leads the way for Cocaine use.
Middlesbrough waste water has the second highest concentration in the world for BZE the main cocaine metabolite. (More on BZE below.)
Second only to the appropriately named Whitehorse in Canada.
https://www.euda.europa.eu/publications/pods/waste-water-analysis_en
For the full report.
Daily mean Country: City mg/1000p/Day
5242.54 CA: Whitehorse
2786.38 GB: Middlesbrough
1576.48 CL: Copiapo
1415.62 GB: Bristol
1405.43 ES: Lleida
1382.14 BE: Antwerp Zuid
1238.19 ES: Granada
1171.57 NL: Amsterdam
1076.86 CH: Geneva
1055.01 CH: Zurich (2)
1038.88 BE: Li�ge-Oupeye
1020.47 BE: Brussels (2)
1007.84 ES: Santiago
1002.6 BE: Charleroi-Est
998.25 AT: Kufstein
996.93 ES: Barcelona
948.65 CH: Luzern
926.98 BE: Namur
907.4 NL: Rotterdam (2)
895.98 CH: Lugano
.
BZE is the non psychoactive metabolite of Cocaine.
Many UK "Drug Driving" cases are prosecuted as Road Traffic Act Section 5A offences.
Since 2016 roadside oral fluid tests which are non negative have resulted in blood samples taken and analysed.
If one or more of 17 drugs is above the specified concentration then this can lead to the driver being charged.
In these cases, the driver is unimpaired.
Impaired driving through alcohol or drugs is dealt with in other sections of the RTA.
Benzoylecognine is the main metabolite of Cocaine.
Cocaine is rapidly hydrolysed by the liver and plasma.
There will be a time delay between roadside oral fluid swabbing, and a blood draw at the police station or A&E clinic.
During this time, the Cocaine blood concentration will be falling and BZE concentration increasing.
This rate of metabolising is highly specific to the individual's liver function and plasma cholinesterase.
Unless the driver has ingested BZE, it is present due to prior use of Cocaine.
Cocaine is a Class A drug, and possession is subject to arrest and a potential 7 years in prison.
Current convictions lead to a fine and minimal prison sentence, typically suspended.
The question to be answered is:
Should drivers with no Cocaine in their blood be punished for earlier misuse of drugs?
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