Toxicology and characteristics of fatal oxycodone toxicity cases in New South Wales, Australia 1999-2008

All cases of fatal oxycodone toxicity presenting to the New South Wales Department of Forensic Medicine over the period January 1, 1999, to December 31, 2008, were retrieved. A total of 70 cases were identified. The mean age was 48.9 years, 58.6% were men, 21.4% were suicides, and in 30% oxycodone had not been prescribed to the decedent. Injecting drug users constituted 27.1% of cases, and oxycodone tablets were injected immediately prior to death by 21.4%. The mean blood oxycodone concentration was 0.40 mg/L (range 0.06-53.00 mg/L). In all cases, psychoactive substances other than oxycodone were also detected, most frequently hypnosedatives (68.6%), other opioids (54.3%), antidepressants (41.4%), and alcohol (32.9%). Preexisting systemic disease was common: cardiovascular (64.2%), pulmonary (49.3%), hepatic (66.7%), and renal (43.9%).     

论吸食新型毒品的管制

近年来,我国新型毒品有取代传统毒品的趋势。政府对吸食新型毒品的管制可分为出现法律真空、以地方管制为主、调整和统一戒毒模式三个阶段,具有受管制的新型毒品种类不断扩大、吸食新型毒品的管制日趋严厉、寻求司法与社会、医疗体系间的紧密合作三个特点。当前吸食新型毒品管制存在的问题是：强制隔离戒毒放大了惩处威慑功能、社区戒毒与社区康复管理措施不配套、自愿戒毒增加了复吸重罚的可能性。应转变理念,坚持人文关怀精神;明确社区戒毒定位,制定配套措施;鼓励自愿戒毒,减少管制成本。     

戒毒人员复吸的原因及综合干预模式探析

戒毒人员脱毒后复吸率很高,半年内复吸率一般为90%-99%。戒毒人员复吸与吸毒者自身的心理、生理因素,以及与社会、家庭环境等方面有关。寻找引发复吸的主要原因和规律,探索行之有效的预防治疗措施,是提高戒毒成功率,延长操守时间的根本途径。通过公安实践和文献调查的方法,研究我国戒毒人员复吸的相关问题,结合我国禁毒工作实际情况,适合我国国情并具有可操作性的戒毒模式应为复吸综合干预模式。     

The Effect of Local Life Circumstances on Victimization of Drug‐Involved Women

While numerous studies have examined female victimization in the general population, fewer studies have focused specifically on high‐risk populations such as drug‐involved females. Of the existing literature, the Lifestyle Exposure and/or Routine Activities theory is frequently used to examine the antecedent conditions and correlates of female victimization. This study employs a dynamic modeling approach to examine the effect of short‐term change (i.e., monthly) in local life circumstances on female victimization within a criminogenic population. Results demonstrated that risk of victimization increased in months a woman was in a relationship, lived with a significant other and/or her children, engaged in criminogenic behavior, or lived in an transitory situation. Contrary to traditional theoretical expectations, conventional employment did not reduce a women’s likelihood of victimization.     

DEALERS,THIEVES, AND THE COMMON DETERMINANTS OF DRUG AND NONDRUG ILLEGAL EARNINGS*

Drug crime often is viewed as distinctive from other types of crime, meriting greater or lesser punishment. In view of this special status, this article asks whether and how illegal earnings attainment differs between drug sales and other forms of economic crime. We estimate monthly illegal earnings with fixed‐effects models, based on data from the National Supported Work Demonstration Project and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Although drug sales clearly differ from other types of income‐generating crime, we find few differences in their determinants. For example, the use of cocaine or heroin increases illegal earnings from both drug and nondrug crimes, indicating some degree of fungibility in the sources of illegal income. More generally, the same set of factors—particularly legal and illegal opportunities and embeddedness in criminal and conventional networks—predicts both drug earnings and nondrug illegal earnings.     

Characterization of microorganisms isolated from counterfeit toothpaste

Abstract: The appearance of potentially counterfeit “Colgate” toothpaste on the American market prompted a criminal investigation by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including the collection of c. 60,000 tubes of toothpaste from retail outlets and product distributors. Microbiological testing was performed based on the FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual, which determined the presence and number of bacteria present in the products. Bacteria were isolated from each “Colgate” variety; up to 2 × 10⁶ cfu/g were isolated from some of the product units. Using conventional microscopic and biochemical bacterial identification methods, most of the bacteria isolated from these samples were Gram‐negative rods of several genera, including Pseudomonas, Serratia, and Klebsiella. Most of the organisms isolated represent opportunistic pathogens, and therefore, counterfeit “Colgate” toothpaste containing high levels of bacteria pose a human health hazard.     

Temporal analysis of the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine in wastewater to estimate community drug use*

Abstract: Indirect estimation methods of cocaine consumption may not reflect the real extent of cocaine use. Another approach is sewage epidemiology. This direct approach is based on analysis of a stable cocaine metabolite, benzoylecgonine (BE), in wastewater. Influent to the Lubbock (Texas) Water Reclamation Plant was sampled twice a week to assess weekly variations in estimates of cocaine consumption over a 5‐month period. BE was extracted from influent wastewater samples using solid phase extraction and analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Measured concentrations of BE were converted to cocaine equivalents; the estimated average daily consumption of cocaine during the study period was 1152 ± 147 g. Based on BE concentrations and sewage epidemiology, higher cocaine consumption was observed on weekends compared to weekdays (p < 0.0003). This method was effective in monitoring BE in wastewater and could be used to complement survey data in estimating cocaine use at a local level.     

Exercising Options: An Assessment of the Use of Alternative Sanctions for Drug Offenders

In this paper, we explore a relatively unexamined area of sentencing—the use of alternative sanctions. While researchers have discussed the potential uses and misuses of alternative sanctions, few have focused on who receives them and why. We argue that, while alternative sanctions have the potential to be useful tools, they also open “windows of discretion” that may disadvantage certain groups. We use quantitative and qualitative data from Washington State to explore how alternative sanctions are applied in cases involving felony drug offenders. The results of quantitative analyses are largely consistent with current theories of sentencing in that court officials rely heavily on indicators of danger and blameworthiness in determining when to apply alternative sanctions. Qualitative analyses, however, suggest that decisions about alternative sanctions are complex, and that court officials’ beliefs about the fairness and efficacy of sentencing options influence the extent to which they will use available alternatives. Implications for criminal justice theory, public policy, and future research are discussed.     

曲马多依赖大鼠动物模型建立的实验研究

目的建立曲马多依赖大鼠动物模型。方法 30只大鼠平均分为3组,观察以60mg/kg曲马多灌胃给药与停药戒断过程中大鼠的身体依赖和精神依赖表现。结果曲马多依赖组大鼠在给药后15min内,对声音及触摸刺激反应性增高,奔跑、跳跃、竖尾等现象为3.9±0.4次/只,明显高于对照组的0.5±0.1次/只(P<0.05);条件性位置偏爱实验中,曲马多依赖组大鼠明显偏爱给药的白箱(P<0.05)。而戒断组在停止给药后出现烦躁不安、高度激惹、尖叫等行为4.9±0.7次/只,高于依赖组的0.6±0.2次/只(P<0.05);依赖组与戒断组大鼠体重明显下降(P<0.05)。结论以60mg/kg灌胃给药112d,大鼠对曲马多产生依赖,曲马多依赖大鼠动物模型建立成功。     

广东省室内、室外及中毒死亡案件中法医昆虫学的应用报道

基于昆虫的死亡时间推断是目前最为有效和最准确的方法,本文介绍了广东省4例应用昆虫准确判断死亡时间的案例,这些案例分别发生于3月、5月和6月,现场包括室外现场和室内现场,尸体类型包括死亡不久的尸体和高度腐败的尸体,死亡原因包括钝器窒息、锐器致死、勒颈致死及过量药物中毒致死,其中过量药物中毒致死的案例由于体内含有49倍致死剂量的氯氮平从而使昆虫的发育受到严重影响进一步使得死亡时间推断时间结果比真实时间短。