There is controversy about the role of beta-agonists in asthma mortality, and the impact of asthma management plans remains unclear. We compared blood beta-agonist levels in patients dying from asthma with those in controls, and estimated the risks associated with specific classes of medication and patterns of management. We identified 89 asthma deaths and recruited 322 patients presenting to hospitals with acute asthma. A questionnaire was administered to the next of kin in 51 cases, and to 202 controls. Blood drawn from 35 cases and 229 controls was assayed for salbutamol. Smoking, drinking, and family problems were significantly more likely among the cases of asthma death than among the controls. The two groups were reasonably well matched with regard to markers of chronic asthma severity. Cases of asthma death were significantly less likely than controls to use a peak flow meter. Written action plans were associated with a 70% reduction in the risk of death. Use of nebulized bronchodilators or oral steroids was significantly more likely in cases of asthma death. Mean blood salbutamol concentrations were 2.5 times higher in cases of asthma. The use of oral steroids for an attack of asthma reduced the risk of death by 90%. More widespread adoption of written asthma management plans, with less reliance on beta-agonists and closer medical supervision, should reduce asthma mortality.

A simple liquid-liquid extraction procedure for the analysis of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in biological fluids without conversion to its lactone, gamma-butyrolactone, is described. Following derivatization to its di-TMS derivative, GHB was detected using gas chromatography-electron impact mass spectrometry. Diethylene glycol was used as the internal standard. The limit of quantitation in 1 mL of blood was 1 mg/L, and a linear response was observed over the concentration range 1 to 100 mg/L. Coefficients of variation for both intra-assay precision and interassay reproducibility ranged between 3.9 and 12.0%. GHB was detected in the blood of a sexual assault victim (3.2 mg/L), in the blood of two driving (DUI) cases (33 and 34 mg/L), and in the blood and urine of two nonfatal GHB-overdose cases (blood 130 and 221 mg/L; urine 1.6 and 2.2 g/L). The observed clinical symptoms ranged from confusion, disorientation, vomiting, and nystagmus to ataxia, sinus bradycardia, unconsciousness, and apnea.

In December 2012, the possession and private use of limited quantities of marijuana and marijuana products became legal in the state of Washington. At the same time, the state's driving under the influence statutes were amended to include a per se level of 5 ng/mL delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in whole blood for drivers aged 21 years and older. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of marijuana legalization on the prevalence of marijuana in suspected impaired driving cases. The prevalence of both active THC and its metabolite carboxy-THC detected in such cases pre-legalization was compared with the prevalence post-legalization. In 2009-2012, the average yearly percentage of cases positive for THC and carboxy-THC was 19.1% (range: 18.2-20.2%) and 27.9% (range: 26.3-28.6%), respectively. In 2013, the percentages had significantly increased to 24.9 and 40.0%, respectively (P < 0.05). The median THC concentration over the 5-year period ranged from 5.2 to 6.3 ng/mL, with individual concentrations ranging up to 90 ng/mL. An average of 56% of cases were at or >5 ng/mL over the 5-year period. The prevalence of alcohol and the majority of other drugs in this same population of suspected impaired drivers submitted for testing did not change during this same 5-year period-marijuana was the only drug to show such an increase in frequency. Further, this observed increase remained after the data had been normalized to account for changes in laboratory testing procedures that occurred during this time period. Future studies need be conducted to ascertain whether the observed increase has had any effect on the incidence of crashes, serious injuries and/or traffic fatalities.

Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) was identified in the blood of 13 subjects arrested for impaired driving. GHB concentrations ranged from 26 to 155 mg/L (mean 87 mg/L, median 95 mg/L). In eight cases, GHB was the only drug detected, and signs of impairment were consistent with those of a CNS depressant, including erratic driving (weaving, swerving, ignoring road signs), confusion, incoherent speech, unresponsiveness, lack of balance, unsteady coordination, poor performances on field sobriety tests, and varying states of wakefulness. Given the ability of GHB to induce sleep and unconsciousness, it is evident from these cases that recreational use of the drug has the potential to impair a person's driving ability.

This case was submitted to the Washington State Patrol Toxicology Laboratory in September 2014. A 15-year-old male went to a party where he ingested 25I-NBOMe and mushrooms. A short time later, he started to vomit and began seizing until he eventually passed out. Resuscitation efforts were made, but were unsuccessful. He was transported to a local hospital, where he died three days later of multi-system organ failure following cardiopulmonary arrest. The hospital admission samples were negative for ethanol and basic drugs and their metabolites. The hospital serum confirmed positive for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and carboxy-THC at 4.1 and 83 ng/mL, respectively. On the basis of the case history, the hospital blood and urine were sent to NMS Labs for NBOMe and psilocin confirmation. The blood was positive for 25I-NBOMe, and the urine was positive for 25C-, 25H- and 25I-NBOMe, as well as, psilocin. Antemortem and postmortem blood were also sent to AIT Laboratories for NBOMe confirmation. The antemortem blood confirmed positive for 25I-NBOMe with a concentration of 0.76 ng/mL. The manner of death was ruled an accident as a result of combined 25I-NBOMe and psilocin intoxication.