[Toxicological aspects of chemical submission].

Abstract

TOXICOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CHEMICAL SUBMISSION. According to the French law (article 222-15 modifié par la loi n° 2007-297 du 5 mars 2007), a drug-facilitated crime is defined as voluntary administration to a subject of a noxious substance with a mental or a physical effect. Victims can be highly variable, from very young children to very old people irrespective of their social status. As several practitioners (general physicians, emergency doctors, gynecologists, forensic pathologists, police forces) can be involved during the initial claims, it is often complicated to get a suitable reception after an assault. Indeed, drug-facilitated crimes not only involve sexual assaults, but also robberies with trick, workplace or sport competitions or any situation where the sedation of somebody is required (childcare, old people care homes). The most frequent active substances found in these cases include sedative pharmaceuticals (hypnotics, benzodiazepines, anti-histaminic compounds, neuroleptics) and entactogens (ecstasy, synthetic cathinones). Often, the victim's claims are too late to collect blood or urine, and therefore hair tests constitute the best approach to document drug exposure, which is mandatory during trials at criminal courts.