The improved DrugWipe® 6 S saliva test now enables faster detection of 6 drug groups, delivering results in just 5 minutes. It detects benzodiazepines in addition to cannabis, opiates, cocaine, amphetamines and methamphetamines. The test still offers the same exceptional reliability and simple, hygienic use.
Ireland – DrugWipe 6 S proving effective
Since the end of 2022, the Irish police force (the “Garda Síochána”) have been using DrugWipe 6 S for targeted roadside screening. The Irish police were impressed by the large number of different drug groups that can be reliably detected even without an analysis device during minutesroadside screening.1 These include benzodiazepines, which were detected in a considerable number of fatal traffic accidents in a study by Irish authorities.2 With the improved DrugWipe 6 S, testing is now completed 3 minutes faster than before.
Benzodiazepines: an underestimated risk to road safety
Benzodiazepines help reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. However, their impact on a person’s fitness to drive and the duration of their effects are often underestimated. These effects may manifest as impaired cognitive functioning, dizziness and confusion, for example. Older drivers may also experience a state of confusion accompanied by hallucinations, making a serious or fatal traffic accident between 2 and 10 times more likely to occur.3 Benzodiazepines are traditionally more likely to be taken by older people.4 However, there is increasing evidence of their impact on fitness to drive among a growing number of younger road users.5
According to a recent study in Spain, benzodiazepines ranked second among the drugs most commonly detected in the blood of victims of fatal road traffic accidents. Just under 70% of the victims in the study were male. The top-ranking substance by a wide margin was alcohol, while third place was occupied by cocaine. Other European studies have found similar results with regard to benzodiazepines.6
High detection quality for greater road safety
The concentration of benzodiazepines in saliva is relatively low.7 The active substances take a long time to travel from the blood into the saliva because the conditions in the mouth are unfavourable. As a result, a saliva test needs to be extremely sensitive in order to deliver a reliable result. The DrugWipe 6 S still has an impressively low detection limit. This, in turn, increases apprehension rates and improves road safety.
NEW – scan to access the instructional video!
The QR code on the back of the packaging of the new DrugWipe® 6 S brings you directly to a short instructional video.
Benzodiazepines – a new drug trend among young people?
As part of its research between 2022 and 2023, the BOJE project investigated the consumption of benzodiazepines among adolescents and young adults. The results indicate a growing drug trend, which has been observed for some time in connection with certain music scenes and by drug addiction services. Young people tend to take benzos as a “come-down” drug (also known as a “downer”), as a temporary “escape from reality” or simply “because it feels good”. A growing number of users are men. In contrast to many other drugs, benzos tend to be taken by people when they are alone rather than in the company of others. The volume of data gathered by the BOJE project is too small to be used as a basis for making a general statement in relation to a new trend in benzodiazepine use. However, the Frankfurt-based MoSyD monitoring system for drug trends has also observed an increase in the consumption of benzodiazepines among this age group.5
DrugWipe 6 S – 6 drug groups in 5 minutes
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References:
1: RSA Ireland (2022), https://www.rsa.ie/road-safety/campaigns/anti-drug-driving; 2: RSA Ireland (2022); Drugs and Driving; 3: Bödefeld et al. (2024); Bundesgesundheitsblatt: Einschränkungen der Mobilität von älteren Verkehrsteilnehmern durch Medikamente, Alkohol und Cannabis; 4: Summary of Main DRUID Results (2012), TRB 91st Annual Meeting; 5: Werse (2024), Abschlussbericht: BOJE – Benzodiazepin- und Opioidkonsum bei Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen; 6: Alvarez-Freire et al. (2023), Statistical Analysis of Toxicological Data of Victims of Traffic Accidents in Galicia (Spain); 7: Wille et al. (2009), Ther. Drug Monit., Volume 31, Number 4
Images provided by:
Securetec Detektions-Systeme AG; AdobeStock_240245085; AdobeStock_91577525
