The National Institute of Forensic Toxicology in Oslo receives blood a
nd urine samples from all Norwegian drivers apprehended on suspicion o
f driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In this study, sex
differences in use of alcohol and drugs among Norwegian drunken and dr
ugged drivers were presented. In 1992 and 1993, the institute received
samples from 11970 and 5642 suspected drunken and drugged drivers res
pectively. Women were underrepresented among both suspected drunken (7
.6%) and drugged (10.9%) drivers. There were not observed dramatic gen
der differences in frequency and finding of drugs. The most frequent d
rugs in addition to alcohol were tetrahydrocannabinol, benzodiazepines
and amphetamine. The data suggest that benzodiazepines are found rela
tively more often in blood from female than from male drugged drivers.
Lower proportion of women with blood ethanol concentration over the l
egal limit was observed.