Feb. 19, 2010: Biology Dept. features talk about drug-impaired drivers

Friday, Feb. 19, 3:30-4:45 p.m.

CPISB, Room 120

The Biology Department is pleased to have as our speaker Dr. Betty Monsour, assistant professor of public health in the Department of Health Sciences, speaking on
drug-impaired driving: the intersection of forensics, public health, toxicology and biology.

One of the ways in which drug use damages the larger public society is by increasing the number of dead and injured from vehicular crashes caused by or associated with the use of drugs while driving.

Alaska implemented the Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) evaluation program in 2004 as an added effort to reduce the public health impact of drug-impaired drivers. This law enforcement program has identified problematic areas of drug-impaired drivers that may allow public health, law enforcement, the court system and social services to target specific populations for prevention and treatment efforts. The identification of drug-impaired drivers is a more complicated arena than that of alcohol-impaired drivers. The challenges of this effort are discussed in this presentation.

Parking on the UAA campus is free on Fridays. No-host refreshments will be provided. For more information, please contact Elizabeth Winfree at (907) 786-4780.