FSC239Y5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 27: Forensic Toxicology, Standard Drink, Central Nervous System
FSC239 Lecture 27: Impaired driving
• What is forensic toxicology
o Branch of science that deals with the adverse effect of drugs and poisons
on the human body and their fate in the body
o Application on toxicology for methods and principles to death
investigation
o Analysis of drugs, alcohol and poisons
o Interpretation
▪ Toxicology reports
▪ Letter of opinion (LOP)
o Expert testimony
▪ Effect of alcohol, poison, and drugs
▪ Theory and operation of approved instruments and screening
devices
• Alcohol
o Drinking alcohol, ethyl alcohol, ethanol
o Central nervous system depressant
▪ i.e. sedation, lowers coordination
o At low blood alcohol concentration, may appear to be a stimulant
▪ i.e. Raise sociability, loss of inhibition
o Stats on FMC
▪ 45.5% none
▪ 18.5% drugs ONLY
▪ 21.9% alcohol ONLY
▪ 14.2% drugs and alcohol
o Stats on impaired driving
▪ 26% alcohol
▪ 17% THC
▪ 8% antidepressants
▪ 9% benzodiazepines
▪ 7% opioids
▪ 4% cocaine
• Standard drink
o A standard drink contains equal volumes of alcohol (around 17mL ethanol
or 0.6 fl. Oz.)
▪ 12 oz – Beer
▪ 1.5 oz – Spirit (40% alcohol)
▪ 5 oz – Wine
• For 180lb male, having consumed 2 standard drinks over dinner (starting t 7pm,
stopped by police at 10pm) -> projected BAC is 0 to 15 mg/100mL
o Further investigation revealed that these standard drinks were “red bull
strong beer”, 7.1% alc. v/v, 710,L can
o Projected BAC of 80 to 110
• For your investigation
o Take note of:
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