Download Drugs as Evidence

Drugs as Evidence
What is a “drug”?

Any natural or synthetic substance that is
used to produce physiological or
psychological effects in humans or “higher
ordered animals”.
Drug Dependence
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Nature of the drug
Route of administration
Dose
Frequency of administration
Individual’s rate of metabolism
Behavioral patterns
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personal characteristics of the user
Expectations about the drug experience
Society’s attitudes and responses
Setting in which the drug is used
Physiological versus Psychological
dependence
Psychological dependence
 Intensity of psychological dependence is
dependent on the nature of the
drug…………..but we can’t measure this!

Wide range of behavioral patterns
associated with each drug.
Physiological dependence
 Withdrawal sickness or abstinence
syndrome

The desire to avoid the withdrawal sickness
will ultimately cause addiction.
Dependence versus Physical Harm
Classification of Drugs.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Narcotic Drugs
Hallucinogens
Depressants
Stimulants
Anabolic Steriods
1. Narcotic Drugs
“state of lethargy or sluggishness”

Narcotic drugs are analgesics, which relieve
pain by depressing the central nervous
system.
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Source of most analgesics is opium
Heroin

Derivative of morphine
Highly soluble
 “high” accompanied by drowsiness and a
sense of “well being”
 “high” is short lived (3-4 hours)
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Methadone

Synthetic opiate (not derived from opium)
Pharmacologically related to heroin
 Eliminates the desire for heroin or morphine
while producing minimal side effects.
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Highly controversial!
Codeine

Prepared from opium
1/6th as potent as morphine
 Used as a cough suppressant
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2. Hallucinogens
Cause marked alteration in the normal thought
processes, perceptions and moods.
Marijuana

Preparation derived from Cannabis plant.

Hashish is the sticky residue which can be extracted by
soaking in alcohol
Sinsemilla is the unfertilized flower tops of the female
Cannibis plant

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Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the chemical substance
responsible for the hallucinogenic properties of marijuana.
Marijuana cont..
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Health effects:
does not appear to cause physical dependency
Harm lies in long-term use
Documented Health Benefits:
- reduction of excessive eye pressure in glaucoma
- Lessening of nausea caused by anti-cancer and
immuno-suppressant drugs.
LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide)
Synthesized from a substance derived
from ergot
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Common names: sold as tablets, "computer acid" or "blotter
paper LSD“
"Windopane" (aka "Clearlight“ i.e. LSD inside a thin gelatine
square) street names including Acid, Trips, Blotter, Lucy
Vivid hallucinations that can last 12 hours, extreme
changes in mood, feelings of anxiety and tension
No physical dependency
PCP (phenylcyclidine)
Synthesized drug
Common names: Angel Dust, Supergrass,
Killer Weed, Embalming Fluid,
and Rocket Fuel.

Smoked, ingested or sniffed
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Extreme moods, dreamy sense of detachment in parallel to feelings of
extreme strength and invulnerability.
Severe depression, tendencies toward violence and suicide accompany
long term use.
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MDMA
(methylenedioxymethamphetamine)
Synthesized drug
Commonly known street name Ecstasy (often abbreviated E, X, or XTC),
is a semisynthetic member of the amphetamine class of psychoactive
drugs.
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Feelings of happiness and relaxation, enhances self
awareness and decreases inhibitions.
Psychological difficulties such as confusion, severe anxiety
and paranoia.
Increases heart rate and blood pressure.
3. Depressants
Alcohol, barbituates, tranquilizers, “glue
sniffing”.
Alcohol

Depressant action on the central nervous system
(CNS)

Low doses: inhibit mental processes of judgement, memory
and speech
Moderate doses: reduce coordination, speech, thought
processes
Higher doses: irritability and severe emotion, crying, anger
etc.
Extremely high doses: unconsciousness, fatal depression of
the circulatory system and respiratory functions.
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Barbituates
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Depressant action on the CNS,
intoxicating and produce similar
effects during intoxication
Drug abusers tend to prefer short-acting and intermediate-acting
barbiturates. Eg. Amobarbital (Amytal), secobarbital (Seconal),
phenobarbital, pentobarbital (Nembutal), butabarbital.
A combination of amobarbital and secobarbital (called Tuinal)
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High doses: withdrawal when discontinued,
insomnia, muscle spasms, delirium and
convulsions.
Tranquilizers
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Depressant action on the CNS
Benzodiazepines ("minor tranquilizers")
eg. Meprobamate (Miltown), chlorodiazepoxide
(Librium), diazepam (Valium).
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Psychological and physical dependency associated
with repeated high levels of use.
“Glue Sniffing”
& huffing
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Volatile or gaseous substances that are
primarily CNS depressants.
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Eg. Toluene, naptha, gasoline,
trichloroethylene etc.
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Liver, heart and brain damage with repeated
use.
4. Stimulants
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Group of drugs that stimulate the CNS.
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Eg. Amphetamines, cocaine
Cocaine
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Insufflation (known colloquially as "snorting," "sniffing," or
"blowing")
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Common names:
Freebase: the base form of cocaine (as opposed to the salt form of
cocaine hydrochloride).
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Crack cocaine: freebase "cooked" in the ratio is 50/50 to 40/60%
cocaine/ sodium bicarbonate.
Amphetamines and their derivatives
Amphetamines & Methamphetamine
Act by increasing levels of norepinephrine, serotonin, and
dopamine in the brain.

Includes drugs commonly used to treat attention-deficit
disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) in adults and children
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Recreational users will use intravenous injection for more
intense experience.
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After “high” user will lapse into a period of exhaustion and
sleep for 1-2 days.
Repeated use leads to strong psychological dependency.
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5. Anabolic Steroids
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Synthetic compounds that are chemically related
to male sex hormones (testosterone).

Side effects: liver cancer, masculizing effects on
females, infertility and diminished sex drive in
males, premature halting of bone growth in
teenagers.
Drug Control Laws
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Impose specific analytical requirements on
drug analysis
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US Federal Law is known as Controlled
Substances Act.
Controlled Substances Act.
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5 schedules of classification (I – IV)
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Listed on the basis of:
- current accepted medical use.
- drug’s potential for abuse
Note there is no distinction between physical and
psychological dependence
Chemically modified drug
Extra Provision:
Chemically related drugs result in penalties in
the same schedule class as that of the
original controlled substance.
Controlled Substances Act.
Schedule I
Heroin, methaqualone, LSD, Ecstasy (MDMA), Peyote, Psilocybin, Marijuana (&
derivatives), various amphetamines.
Schedule II
Cocaine, Methadone, Morphine, PCP, Demerol, Dilaudid & certain cannabis,
amphetamine and barbituates.
Schedule III
Opium, Vicodan, Tylenol w/codeine, anabolic steroids & certain narcotic, amphetamine
and barbituates (except phenobarbital).
Schedule IV
Phenobarbital, tranquilizers (e.g. Valium), Darvocet, Xanax, Ambien
Schedule V
Lomotil, Phenergan, and liquid suspensions
Drug Identification
1. Screening Tests e.g. Color tests
2. Confirmation tests e.g. IR
spectrophotometry, mass spectroscopy
OR
Drug Analytical Scheme e.g. Color tests,
microcrystalline tests, chromatography,
spectrophotometry etc.
Presumptive Color Tests
1. Marquis test
- heroin and morphine (purple color)
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amphetamines and metamphetamines (orange-brown
color)
2. Dillie-Koppanyi test
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barbiturates (violet-blue color)
3. Duquenois-Levine test
- THC (marijuana) (purple color)
4. Van Urk test
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LSD (blue-purple color)
5. Scott test
Cocaine (blue  pink  blue)
Microcrystalline Tests
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More specific than color tests
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Shape of the crystals examined by
microscopy  identify the drug
Confirmation Tests
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MUST REVIEW
1.
Chromatography (GC, HPLC, TLC)
Spectrophotometry (IR)
Mass Spectroscopy ( and GC/MS)
2.
3.
Collection and
Preservation of Evidence

Properly package and label
evidence…..chain of custody!

Volatile solvents must be in airtight
containers.