Papaseit, E., Joya, X., Velasco, M., et al. – 2011
Presents a case study illustrating the use of hair analysis to detect environmental exposure to smoked crack cocaine in children. A young child with respiratory problems tested positive for exposure to cocaine with urine testing. The parents admitted to smoking crack cocaine in the child’s presence. Cocaine (and other drugs) was detected in hair samples from the child and the parents. Hair analysis revealed that the child was repeatedly exposed to environmental cocaine for the preceding three months. The child’s hair had higher concentrations of cocaine than that of the adults, suggesting that children experience higher levels of toxicity and more serious negative effects than adults. Suggests that hair analysis is an effective tool to use on children from high-risk drug environments.