The Role of the Pharmacist in Evaluating Drug Use in Drivers: The Drug Evaluation and Classification Program

Abstract

About 15% of accident-involved drivers have drugs detected in their system. The Drug Evaluation and Classification (DEC) Program was designed to give police officers a systematic, standardized twelve-step method to enable them to look for signs and symptoms of drug use from a group of seven drugs. The classes of drugs covered by the program are phencyclidine, inhalants, narcotic analgesics, cannabis, CNS depressants, CNS stimulants, and hallucinogens. The DEC program certifies the police officer as a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) to evaluate the behavior and physical signs of the drug use such as blood pressure, pulse, nystagmus, strabismus, and pupil size. Since the procedures and methods of the program have a medical basis, the pharmacist, toxicologist or other similarly trained scientist with knowledge of physiology, pharmacology, disease states, chemistry, and physical assessment would be an ideal DRE. It is suggested that the future role of the pharmacist in the DEC program be one of final interpretation of the results noted by the DRE, or training the DRE to recognize the full spectrum of factors which may be causing the symptoms observed.