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Welcome to the Vault Network
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This is not a complete archive, time didn't allot us the
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Topic: DUI and Ambien
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Eager_Igraine
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Subject:
DUI and Ambien
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambien
Apparently prosecutions for DUI are on the rise vs. people on Ambien who are suffering from its 'altered thought patterns, 'impaired judgment and reasoning', motor skill disfunction and hallucinatory side effects. Complicating the issue, due to its short term memory loss and anterograde amnesia side effects, the defendants often claim events never happened (even in the face of video footage) and they don't remember a thing.
Keep it in mind the next time you see someone driving poorly. The driver may be sober and not even talking on the phone, they may simply believe they are sleeping soundly. 
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I know what you're trying to do but you're just sailing another failboat over the falls. - imaloon1
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Taliesihne
Title: Wind on the Deep Waters
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Subject:
DUI and Ambien
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You may not have the answer to this, but do they have the same issue with this that they do Marijuana? I.e - they can't conclusively prove that someone was actually under the effect of the drug at the time of the arrest?
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Jesus saves, Allah protects, and Cthulhu thinks you'd make a nice sandwich
First comes smiles, then lies. Last is gunfire. -Roland Deschain, of Gilead
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MayorShade
Title: Not Special Forces
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Subject:
DUI and Ambien
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Taliesihne posted:
You may not have the answer to this, but do they have the same issue with this that they do Marijuana? I.e - they can't conclusively prove that someone was actually under the effect of the drug at the time of the arrest?
Pretty much. Zolpidem is converted nearly entirely into inactive metabolites which are excreted renaly. Peak plasma levels are reached with a couple of hours, so unless somebody can provide a UA on scene or shortly thereafter, and unless they know what they are looking for in the first place, there's no way to know. But that's the case for most drugs, legal or illegal.
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"You guys know that I love homosexuals." - GrilledCheez
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Eager_Igraine
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Subject:
DUI and Ambien
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I believe it depends on the local laws, but if they do a blood draw I believe they can prove chemicals (Ambien) in the system. But most of the time I believe LEOs rely on FSTs and video/audio footage as evidence.
One of the issues in court is that, like drunk driving, it is hard to get a jury to convict someone of something folks on the jury are likely to be just as guilty of doing themselves 'now and then'. Getting a conviction for DUI on prescription medication is very difficult, because too many people have scrips of their own and make the same bad judgements on whether or not to drive.
-----signature-----
I radiate more heat than light.
I know what you're trying to do but you're just sailing another failboat over the falls. - imaloon1
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sweeny_comodore
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Subject:
DUI and Ambien
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i bet they can tell with a blood sample.
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Jesus? No, but there is indeed a god shaped hole in the heart of man, why is yours so empty? -- snarf igraine the original monotheism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phallus
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MayorShade
Title: Not Special Forces
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Subject:
DUI and Ambien
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sweeny_comodore posted:
i bet they can tell with a blood sample.
Ambien concentrations can be tested in whole blood, serum/plasma or even urine. They use the same gas chromatography/mass spectrometry procedures that are used for other drugs. But it isn't part of any standard comprehensive toxicology panel, so it isn't routinely ordered. Peak plasma concentrations are reached within 1-2 hours, and Ambien has a relatively short elimination half-life. If someone wanted to specifically test for Ambien concentrations in the blood, and if they wanted to use those results to ascertain when the subject reached peak concentration, the test would need to be ordered and performed relatively quickly. Is this likely to ever happen? Doubt it. I'm not sure what the minimum detected concentration is for the test. Probably somewhere near 5ng/mL. And I'm not quite sure how quickly peak concentrations would decrease from max blood to minimum detectable. Ultimately, it's a fairly speedy drug in terms of absorption, bio-conversion and elimination. I don't see Ambien ever being part of an expedient UA methodology. Aside from the usuals (barbiturates,
benzodiazepines, cocaine metabolite, cannabinoids, opiates and amphetamines), there are probably some other drugs that would jump ahead of Ambien. Over-dosage scenarios are a different story, and these are usually the only scenarios in which the ER doc will order a test, assuming the patient or a witness can verify that the patient took Ambien.
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"drive a SUV and have a Apple straped to your azz" - Blue_Arrow
"You guys know that I love homosexuals." - GrilledCheez
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sweeny_comodore
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Subject:
DUI and Ambien
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so when a cop hauls you out of your car, slaps cuffs on you and drags you into the ER for an immediate blood test, do you think he would have the clarity of mind to ask for an ambien test along with the usual?
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Jesus? No, but there is indeed a god shaped hole in the heart of man, why is yours so empty? -- snarf igraine the original monotheism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phallus
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MayorShade
Title: Not Special Forces
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Subject:
DUI and Ambien
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sweeny_comodore posted:
so when a cop hauls you out of your car, slaps cuffs on you and drags you into the ER for an immediate blood test, do you think he would have the clarity of mind to ask for an ambien test along with the usual?
Doubt it. It's a hypnotic that shares a very similar mechanism of action to that of benzos and some other more commonly abused drugs. Acts on GABA receptors, although with more specificity than benzos. I'd think the cop would expect the usuals first. Unless they found the prescription bottle during a search, or unless you told them you had taken ambien. And really, it doesn't matter what the cop asks for. An ER physician would likely be more than happy to order a standard tox. But when cops go askin for other stuff, they're less likely to listen. Unless, of course, there is some type of evidence pointing strictly to Ambien.
Edit: I'll have to admit that I've been out of the ER environment for a long time, so I'm not always up to speed.
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"drive a SUV and have a Apple straped to your azz" - Blue_Arrow
"You guys know that I love homosexuals." - GrilledCheez
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Kjarhall
Title: The Pungent One
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Subject:
DUI and Ambien
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Simple, don't drive while taking Ambien.
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You're a crazy moron*
*http://vnboards.ign.com/outpost/b22180/115147923/r115151508/
hah! true story tho i'm a woman an i even love boobs..how can you not??- HallowEve
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MayorShade
Title: Not Special Forces
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User ID: 900,170
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Subject:
DUI and Ambien
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Kjarhall posted:
Simple, don't drive while taking Ambien.
Hell, don't do ANYTHING aside from staying in bed. That is usually one of the directions given when it is prescriped: "Don't take it until you are ready to go to sleep!" Well, it is supposed to be said, but we all know how that works.
I think some of the problems that are arising are due to some of the possible hypnotic effects that occur when somebody wakes up while under the influence of the drug. Sleep-walking, sleep-driving, impaired decision making ability, etc. Many people who make poor decisions after taking Ambien may have fully intended to lay down, go to sleep and STAY asleep. Unfortunately, it may not always work that way. I also wonder how many people who take Ambien regularly are also taking other drugs that act upon the CNS and interact with Ambien.
Edit: I've taken 15 mg of Ambien exactly once. I experienced nothing. Zip. Nada. No clinically intended effects, nothing. I'm somewhat surprised that it is abused at all.
-----signature-----
"drive a SUV and have a Apple straped to your azz" - Blue_Arrow
"You guys know that I love homosexuals." - GrilledCheez
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Kjarhall
Title: The Pungent One
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Subject:
DUI and Ambien
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MayorShade posted:
Kjarhall posted:
Simple, don't drive while taking Ambien.
Hell, don't do ANYTHING aside from staying in bed. That is usually one of the directions given when it is prescriped: "Don't take it until you are ready to go to sleep!" I think some of the problems that are arising are due to some of the possible hypnotic effects that occur when somebody wakes up while under the influence of the drug. Sleep-walking, sleep-driving, impaired decision making ability, etc. Many people who make poor decisions after taking Ambien may have fully intended to lay down, go to sleep and STAY asleep. Unfortunately, it may not always work that way. I also wonder how many people who take Ambien regularly are also taking other drugs that act upon the CNS and interact with Ambien.
Then they should be kept from their keys.
If they live alone, then maybe taking Ambien isn't the best course of action for them.
Not to mention that perhaps the drug shouldn't be on the market at all, with those kind of side effects.
Other people should not need to be put at risk so someone else can get a better nights sleep.
-----signature-----
You're a crazy moron*
*http://vnboards.ign.com/outpost/b22180/115147923/r115151508/
hah! true story tho i'm a woman an i even love boobs..how can you not??- HallowEve
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MayorShade
Title: Not Special Forces
Posts:
2,361
Registered:
Mar 1, '04
Extended Info (if available)
Real Post Cnt: 2,064
User ID: 900,170
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Subject:
DUI and Ambien
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Kjarhall posted:
MayorShade posted:
Kjarhall posted:
Simple, don't drive while taking Ambien.
Hell, don't do ANYTHING aside from staying in bed. That is usually one of the directions given when it is prescriped: "Don't take it until you are ready to go to sleep!" I think some of the problems that are arising are due to some of the possible hypnotic effects that occur when somebody wakes up while under the influence of the drug. Sleep-walking, sleep-driving, impaired decision making ability, etc. Many people who make poor decisions after taking Ambien may have fully intended to lay down, go to sleep and STAY asleep. Unfortunately, it may not always work that way. I also wonder how many people who take Ambien regularly are also taking other drugs that act upon the CNS and interact with Ambien.
Then they should be kept from their keys.
If they live alone, then maybe taking Ambien isn't the best course of action for them.
Not to mention that perhaps the drug shouldn't be on the market at all, with those kind of side effects.
Other people should not need to be put at risk so someone else can get a better nights sleep.
I agree.
-----signature-----
"drive a SUV and have a Apple straped to your azz" - Blue_Arrow
"You guys know that I love homosexuals." - GrilledCheez
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