Percentage of evidence evaluated in the crime lab that is drug related
more than 75%
Things that affect the pattern & intensity of drug dependency
� nature of the drug
� route of administration
� dose
� frequency of use
� person's metabolism
Drug MOST likely to lead to psychological dependence
alcohol
Drug LEAST likely to lead to psychological dependence
marijuana
The physical symptoms of "abstinence syndrome
� body chills
� vomiting
� stomach cramps
� convulsions
� insomnia
� pain
� hallucinations
Narcotics term comes from Greek word, narkotikos, which means...
to numb or deaden
Narcotics info:
� relieves pain & produces sleep, reduces vital body functions like blood pressure, pulse & breathing rates
� Morphine
Heroin
Methadone
Codeine
Drugs derived from opium
codeine - heroin - morphine
Substances used as a diluent (substance used to dilute something) for heroin
� quinine
� starch
� lactose
� Novocain
� mannitol
Codeine info:
� it's present in opium
� usually prepared synthetically from morphine
� used as a prescription cough suppressant
� one-sixth as strong as morphine
� not an "attractive" street drug for addicts
The MOST used "illicit" (illegal) drug in the USA
marijuana
Drug INCORRECTLY classified by the US govt
cocaine is labeled as a narcotic, but it is really a stimulant
THC levels in various parts of the cannabis plant
GREATEST concentration -- Resin
DECLINING concentrations -- Flowers
" " -- Leaves
LITTLE concentration -- Stem, Roots, Seeds
Form of marijuana that's strongest
liquid hashish
How does marijuana help from a medical standpoint
� reduces excessive eye pressure in glaucoma
� lessens nausea caused by anti-cancer drugs
Drug used as a dilutent for heroin
methadone
Effects of marijuana use
� increased heart rate
� dry mouth
� reddened eyes
� impaired motor skills & concentration
� hunger
� increased desire for sweets
Why is PCP so popular & so available?
because the drug can be made by simple chemical processes, it is easy to manufacture it secretly for the illegal market in hidden labs, ranging from small labs run out of bathrooms & garages to larger, more sophisticated ones.
Is alcohol a drug & is it abused?
Yes. Yes. In the USA, the alcohol industry produces over 1 billion gallons each year.
Phenobarbital - what type of drug is it? why is it not preferred?
it's a barbiturate. Not preferred by abusers bc it is absorbed into the blood stream at a slower rate, and therefore any effect is less-pronounced.
What do barbiturates do?
aka "downers" because:
� they relax the user
� create a feeling of well-being
� produce sleep
� suppresses the vital functions of the central nervous system
What kind of drug is methamphetamine?
a stimulant; drug culture calls them "uppers" & "speed
What kind of drug is cocaine? How do ppl take it?
a stimulant.
Ppl SNIFF or SNORT cocaine bc it is absorbed into the body thru the mucous membranes of the nose; sometimes it's INJECTED w/a needle.
Why is "crack" so dangerous?
Because it's the fastest way to rise the brain's cocaine level.
� gives a feeling of euphoria
� inhaling the vapors of crack cocaine takes less than 15 seconds for it to reach the brain
� as fast as a user attains/feels the "high," the feeling fades quick
What is Rohypnol? what does it do?
� a depressant that causes muscle relaxation, loss of consciousness and memory loss during the several hours after it is ingested.
� This drug is often connected with sexual rapes, assaults & robberies. The "date-rape drug."
� It is odorless, colorless &
What are the effects of taking MDMA?
� aka "Ecstasy."
� mind-altering drug that has many hallucinogenic & amphetamine-like properties (stimulant)
� users feel happy, relaxed, decreases inhibitions
What are the effects of anabolic steroids?
� promotes the development of secondary male characteristics
� accelerates muscle growth
Basis of the Controlled Substance Acts schedule of drugs
�Created to prevent and control drug abuse.
FIVE schedules of classification:
� Schedule I - high potential for abuse; of no medical value in the USA -- HEROIN - LSD - MARIJUANA(?)
� Sched. II - high potential of abuse; currently accepted medical use w/se
What are designer drugs?
substances that are chemically related to some controlled drugs and are pharmacologically very potent.
5-color presumptive test & what the different color changes mean.
Using chemical reagents which, when brought in contact with a certain drug, will yield a certain characteristic color.
1. Marquis - Purple for heroin & morphine. Orange-brown for amphetamines.
2. Dillie-Koppanyi - Violet-blue for barbiturates.
3. Duquenoi
Compare microcrystalline tests to color tests
Pros:
� Microcrystalline is more specific
� It is faster
� Doesn't require isolating the drug from its diluents
Cons:
� Sometimes the diluents can alter or modify the shape of the crystal, so the examiner must be experienced enough to interpret the result
Which type of tests are used to screen drugs as a first step in analysis?
Screening tests to reduce the possible drugs to a smaller number of possibilities. Color tests greatly reduce the number of possibilities.
Compare the use of a UV spectrophotometer to those of an IR spectrophotometer
IR is more specific than a UV
Which equipment would allow you to both separate and identify a drug?
Gas chromatograph & a mass spectrometer
Which type of chromatography is used commonly in science labs but not v often in forensic drug labs?
gas chromatography
In your TLC lab, what was the moving phase & the stationary phase?
a stationary phase (a solid, or a liquid supported on a solid) and a mobile phase (a liquid or a gas).
What is spectrophometry used for?
a method to measure how much a chemical substance absorbs light by measuring the intensity of light as a beam of light passes through sample solution
Type of light sources used in spectrophotometry
UV and IR
Why is spectrophotometry so valuable?
it allows you to tell a lot of information about an object simply be the amounts and types of light (or actually electromagnetic radiation) it contains.
Peaks on a chromatogram represent
represents an individual compound that was separated from a sample mixture
Marijuana is what type of drug?
hallucinogen
Is a schedule II drug worse than a schedule V drug?
A Schedule I drug is the worst and most harmful. A 5 is the safest. So a II is worst than a V. A II has a high potential for abuse, & potential for severe psych & physical dependency.
Drug that causes PHYSICAL dependence when taken through a continual pattern of daily use in large quantities
alcohol
Drugs that are stimulants
amphetamines "uppers"/"speed"
cocaine & freebase form of "crack
Where does heroin come from?
the poppy plant
Know which drugs come from natural resources and which are synthetically reproduced
NATURAL SYNTHETIC
Cocaine Anabolic steroids
Marijuana Ecstacy
amphetamines
barbiturates
Drugs that are depressants
alcohol
barbiturates
tranquilizers
Valium
& various substances that can be sniffed, like airplane glue or model cement
Answer marijuana questions on pg 194
...
Drugs that are hallucinogens
marijuana
LSD
PCP
MDMA (Ecstasy)
Schedule of drugs that includes tranquilizers
schedule 4
Drugs which are "club drugs
Synthetic drugs which are used in nightclubs, bars, and raves. Some are stimulants; some have depressant effects.
Analog drugs
a chemical substance substantially similar in chemical structure to a controlled substance, triggers penalties as if it were a controlled substance listed in schedule I
designer drugs
substances that are chemically related to some controlled drugs and are pharmacologically very potent
what are the 5 color tests?
Marquis
the reagent turns purple in the presence of heroin and morphine and most opium derivatives. Maquis also becomes orange-brown when mixed with atmosphere and methamphetamines.
Dillie-Koppanyi
This is a valuable screening test for barbiturates, in wh