DRUGS OF ABUSE SCREENING IN THE WEST MIDLANDS - A 6 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE SURVEY OF RESULTS

We describe the results of urinary drugs of abuse screening performed by the West Midlands Regional Laboratory for Toxicology, Birmingham, U K, on more than 27800 urine specimens received between January 1988 an d December 1993. The number of specimens positive for amphetamine decl ined from 1988 to 1990, but this was followed by a doubling of specime ns testing positive from 5.7% in 1990 to 12.0% in 1993. There is very little evidence of methamphetamine or Ecstasy abuse in the West Midlan ds. Morphine (assumed to be from heroin abuse) is the most common opia te detected, with 11.7% of all specimens received proving to be positi ve in 1993. The incidence of cocaine abuse is low, less than 5% when r equests are based on clinical judgement, and less than 3% in the overa ll population monitored.