The Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST) and measures of cognitive functioning.

Objective: The Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST) are utilised widely to assess fitness to drive when law enforcement suspects a driver's ability to drive is impaired, whether by drugs or alcohol. The SFST ostensibly achieve this through assessment of the level of drivers' cognitive and psychomotor impairment, although no studies have explicitly assessed the relatedness of cognitive ability and performance on the SFST. The current study aimed to assess the relationship between the three components of the SFST with a well validated computerised cognitive battery.

Young brains on cannabis: It's time to clear the smoke.

Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit substance among youth. Recent policy developments and ongoing debate related to this drug underscore the urgent need to "clear the smoke" and better understand what the scientific evidence says about the health and behavioral effects of cannabis use, particularly on youth whose brains are undergoing rapid and extensive development.

Effectiveness of brief interventions as part of the Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model for reducing the nonmedical use of psychoactive substances: a systematic review.

Background: The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of brief interventions (BIs) as part of the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model for reducing the nonmedical use of psychoactive substances.

Methods: Bibliographic databases (including MEDLINE, Embase, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and PsycINFO to April 2012) and gray literature sources were searched. We included randomized controlled trials that opportunistically screened adolescents or adults and then provided a one-to-one, verbal BI to those at risk of substance-use harm.

An examination of the validity of the standardized field sobriety test in detecting drug impairment using data from the Drug Evaluation and Classification program.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the validity of the 3 components of the Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST), including the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN), One Leg Stand (OLS), and Walk and Turn (WAT) tests, in identifying impairment among suspected drug-impaired drivers using data recorded during drug evaluation and classification (DEC) evaluations.

Methods: Data from 2142 completed DEC evaluations of central nervous system (CNS) stimulants, CNS depressants, narcotic analgesics, cannabis, or no drugs were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression.

Results: All drug categories were significantly associated with impaired performance.

Effectiveness of brief interventions as part of the screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) model for reducing the non-medical use of psychoactive substances: a systematic review protocol.

Background: There is a significant public health burden associated with substance use in Canada. The early detection and/or treatment of risky substance use has the potential to dramatically improve outcomes for those who experience harms from the non-medical use of psychoactive substances, particularly adolescents whose brains are still undergoing development. The Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment model is a comprehensive, integrated approach for the delivery of early intervention and treatment services for individuals experiencing substance use-related harms, as well as those who are at risk of experiencing such harm.