Prescription drug DUIs on rise

Drinking alcohol is the leading cause of DUIs in Washington state, but law enforcement officers are becoming increasingly concerned with DUIs connected to the use or abuse of prescription drugs.

Though such cases amount to only about 5 percent of DUI arrests in Spokane County, the number of prescription drug-related DUIs has been rising even as other DUI numbers drop, said Washington State Patrol Trooper Troy Corkins.

The Washington State Patrol is holding a public meeting on the topic tonight at the Navy Operational Support Center in Spokane.

Even when taken according to doctors’ instructions, prescription drugs can affect drivers in the same way as alcohol, said Corkins.

“They’re going to be just like a drunk but without the smell of alcohol,” he said, describing effects like impaired judgment, slow response, and weaving.

Of the 259 DUI-related blood samples that Spokane County law enforcement agencies sent to the Washington State Toxicology Lab in 2004, 59 contained only prescription drugs, Corkins said.

Idaho State Police said they don’t track DUIs by the source of the intoxicant.

Alcohol still dominates Washington DUI cases, said Ann Marie Gordon, the Washington State Toxicology Lab manager.

When drivers blow more than 0.10 blood alcohol content, their blood isn’t sent in for testing. But of those blood samples tested statewide, 45 percent have alcohol in them, Gordon said. About a quarter of samples contain marijuana. Cocaine and methamphetamine follow in abundance.

Still, prescription drugs are a problem, said Gordon, who added that many samples contain a combination of alcohol, illicit drugs and/or prescription medications.

The prescription drugs found most often in blood samples at the lab are anti-anxiety medications, followed by narcotic analgesics like oxycodone and then Soma, most often prescribed for back pain.

The issue isn’t limited to prescription drugs. Even over-the-counter medications can have detrimental effects on drivers.

Benadryl is a common culprit, said Gordon.

“Everybody knows Benadryl makes you tired,” said Corkins. “Don’t take it if you’re going to be driving a car.”

People should be cautious with all medications, said Gordon.

“You really have an obligation to know how a drug is affecting you before you get behind the wheel of a car,” she said.