Roadside survey on alcohol and drug use among drivers in the arctic county of finnmark (Norway)

Objective: To determine the prevalence of alcohol and potentially impairing drugs among the general driving population in Finnmark and to compare the prevalence among Norwegian, Russian and other foreign drivers by analyzing samples of oral fluid.

Methods: In collaboration with local police, drivers were selected for a voluntary and anonymous study using a multistage cluster sampling procedure (selection of roads, time intervals, and drivers within each interval) from September 2014 to October 2015. Age, gender, citizenship, time and geographical site were recorded. Samples of oral fluid were collected using the Quantisal device. The samples were analyzed for alcohol with an enzymatic method and for 12 illicit drugs and 16 medicinal drugs and some metabolites using UPLC-MS/MS.

Results: A total of 3228 drivers were asked to participate in the study. The refusal rate was 6.2 percent. Of the 3027 participants in the study 111 (3.7%) were Russian and 204 (6.7%) had citizenship other than Norwegian or Russian. The total prevalence of psychoactive substances was 4.3 percent. Alcohol was detected in 0.3 percent, psychoactive medicinal drugs in 2.5 percent and illicit drugs in 1.6 percent of the samples. The most commonly found substances were the sleeping agent zopiclone (1.1%), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (1.1%) and the analgesic agent codeine (0.6%). Illicit drugs were significantly more often detected in samples from drivers of citizenship other than Norwegian or Russian. The prevalence of alcohol was somewhat higher among Russian drivers, but not statistically significant. There were large differences between age groups and genders concerning illicit drugs and psychoactive medicinal drugs; illicit drugs were more frequently in samples from young male drivers, while psychoactive medicinal drugs were more frequently in samples from elderly female drivers.

Conclusion: The total prevalence of alcohol and drugs among the general driving population in Finnmark was low and similar to previous Norwegian roadside surveys. Illicit drugs were significantly more often detected in samples from drivers with citizenship other than Russian and Norwegian, and among young, male drivers.