NCJ Number
157837
Date Published
1991
Length
16 pages
Annotation
The Pinellas County, Florida, Drug Study was conducted to study illicit drug use among arrestees using hair and urine samples.
Abstract
Specific study goals were to demonstrate the feasibility of gathering multiple specimens, especially hair samples, from volunteers solicited in a booking facility; to compare drug use self-reports, urinalysis, and hair analysis; and to evaluate the extended timeframe or detection window of radioimmunoassay of hair (RIAH) for positively establishing exposure to illicit drugs based on biological testing methods. The study sought to interview between 250 and 300 male arrestees and between 50 and 100 female arrestees booked into the Pinellas County Jail. Urine specimens were analyzed for metabolites of cocaine, cannabinoids, opiates, amphetamines, and benzodiazepines, while hair samples were analyzed for heroin and cocaine. In general, drug use was underreported by study subjects. The degree of underreporting was highest for cocaine and lowest for marijuana. The strongest contribution of RIAH was its ability to detect drug users who could not be detected by urinalysis. 15 references, 8 tables, and 3 figures