The impact of the use of cocaine and ethanol on violent or suspicious deaths in a brazilian state: a retrospective study.

This study aimed to analyze the toxicological results of the main cases of violent or suspicious deaths that occurred in the state of Paraná between 2020 and 2021, with a special focus on traffic accidents and suicides. The research was based on data from the Forensic Toxicology Laboratory of the Paraná Scientific Police, involving the analysis of toxicology reports. Descriptive analysis of the data was performed, and the association between the variables was assessed using the chi-squared test (p < 0.05). Ethanol was found in 37% of the cases, and cocaine in 9.2% of the total of 5,212 records. In the specific case of traffic accidents and suicide, ethanol was present in more than a third of the cases. Cocaine was the main substance involved in the deaths of men, while for women, it was not as relevant, with a significant association between the variables (p < 0.01). Ethanol and other psychoactive substances, mainly cocaine, were present in suicide cases in both sexes, with no significant association (p > 0.05). The analysis highlights the importance of toxicological research as a tool for understanding the impact of ethanol and cocaine on violent deaths, providing input for the formulation of public policies.