Forensics: Chapter 9

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Forensics Chapter 9

• Drugs

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OBJECTIVES

• Describe general categories of drugs and their
  effects on humans.
• Describe and demonstrate, if possible, tests used
  to detect heavy metals, toxins, alcohol, or other
  drugs inside or outside body tissues.

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Definition of a Drug

• Natural or synthetic substance that is used to
  produce physiological or psychological effects in
  humans or other higher order animals.

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Drugs can be

• a necessity for sustaining prolonging life
• an escape from the pressures of life
• a means of ending ones life

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Drugs Through The Years

• 1960s waves of hallucinogens, amphetamines,
  barbiturates, alcohol
• 1970s heroin addiction emerged as a national
  problem
• Present 90 million Americans drink alcohol
  regularly 10 million are addicted or have
  severe problems coping with their drinking habits.

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Drug Information

• Approximately 23 million people in the U.S. are
  users of illicit drugs. Of these, there are a
  half-million heroin addicts and nearly six
  million users of cocaine.
• In the U.S., the epidemic proportions of illegal
  drug use has caused more than 75 of the evidence
  now being evaluated in crime laboratories to be
  drug related.
• The first drugs to be regulated by law in the
  early years of the 20th century were those deemed
  to have habit forming properties (opium its
  derivatives, cocaine, marijuana)

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Dependence On Drugs Can Depend On

• nature of the drug
• route of administration
• the dose
• the frequency of administration
• individuals rate of metabolism
• personal characteristics of the user
• the users expectations about the drug experience
• societys attitudes possible responses
• setting in which the drug is used

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Two Types of Drug Dependence

• Psychological dependence conditioned use of a
  drug caused by underlying emotional needs.
• Physical dependence physiological need for a
  drug that has been brought about by its regular
  use.

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Drug Dependence Information

• The common denominator that characterizes all
  types of repeated drug use is the creation of a
  psychological dependence for continued use of the
  drug.
• Dependence is characterized by withdrawal
  sickness or abstinence syndrome (body chills,
  vomiting, stomach cramps, convulsions, insomnia,
  pain, and hallucinations) when administration of
  the drug is abruptly stopped.
• See Table 9-1 (pg 236) Pay close attention to
  those drugs labeled High dependence.

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Narcotics

• Analgesic or pain-killing substance that
  depresses vital body functions such as blood
  pressure, pulse rate, and breathing rate.
• They are obtained from opium.
• They are depressants of the central nervous
  system physically addicting.

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Analgesics

• Analgesics relieve pain by exerting a
  depressing action on the central nervous system

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Derivatives of Opium (opiates)

• Morphine
• Heroin
• Codeine
• OxyContin
• Methadone

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Did You Know?

• Heroin is a derivative of morphine.

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Diluents Commonly Added to Heroin

• Quinine (most common)
• Starch
• Lactose
• Procaine (Novocain)
• Mannitol

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Codeine

• Is present in opium, prepared synthetically from
  morphine, and is a component in over-the-counter
  cough medicine.

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Did You Know?

• The administration of methadone eliminates an
  addicts desire for heroin.

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Hallucinogens

• Substances that induce changes in mood, attitude,
  thought, or perception.

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Examples of Hallucinogens

• Marijuana
• LSD
• Phencyclidine (PCP or angel dust)
• Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or Ecstasy)
• Mescaline
• Psilocybin
• STP

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Marijuana

• possibly most popular hallucinogen.
• most widely used illicit drug in the U.S. today
• derived from the plant Cannabis
• the plant secretes a sticky resin known as
  hashish
• was first introduced in the U.S around 1920
• most potent form is liquid hashish

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Effects of Marijuana Use

• Increased heart rate
• dryness of the mouth
• reddening of the eyes
• impaired motor skills and concentration
• hunger increased desire for sweets
• apathy (long term use)
• impaired judgment, memory, concentration (long
  term use)
• loss of interest in personal appearance (long
  term use)

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Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

• Chemical substance largely responsible for the
  hallucinogenic properties of marijuana.

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Did You Know

• THC varies greatly among various plant parts.
• In decreasing order resin, flowers, leaves,
  stem, roots, seeds.

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To Legalize or Not To Legalize?

• There is accumulating evidence that marijuana has
  potential medical uses
• reduction of excessive eye pressure in glaucoma
• useful as a muscle relaxant
• lessening of nausea caused by anticancer drugs

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PCP

• Abuse has grown in alarming proportions in recent
  years because this drug can be synthesized by a
  rather simple chemical process (cookbook methods)
  in clandestine laboratories that range from small
  to large.

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PCP (continued)

• PCP is often mixed with other drugs, such as LSD
  or amphetamine, and is sold as a powder (angel
  dust), capsule, tablet, or liquid.

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Long Term Use of PCP Can Result In

• severe depression
• irritability
• feeling of isolation
• audio and visual hallucinations
• paranoia
• schizophrenic behavior (even days after taking
  the drug)
• tendency toward violence (long term use)
• suicide (long term use)

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Depressants

• Substances used to depress the function of the
  central nervous system.
• Can calm irritability and anxiety and may induce
  sleep.

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Alcohol

• Most widely used and abused drug.

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Effects of Various Doses Of Alcohol

• Low doses- inhibit mental processes of judgment,
  memory, and concentration.
• drinkers personality becomes expansive he/she
  exudes confidence
• Moderate doses reduces coordination
  substantially inhibits orderly thought processes,
  speech patterns, and slows reaction time.
• Higher doses user becomes highly irritable and
  emotional
• displays of anger crying are not uncommon
• Extremely high doses individual may lapse into
  unconsciousness or comatose state
• fatal depression of circulatory respiratory
  functions

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Barbiturates

• Commonly referred to as downers because they
  relax, creating a feeling of well-being, and
  produce sleep.

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Phenobarbitol

• Least abused barbiturate due to its slow
  absorption within the body.

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Tranquilizers

• May be classified as depressants but they differ
  in the extent of their actions on the central
  nervous system.

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Tranquilizers (continued)

• Generally, tranquilizers produce a relaxing
  tranquility without impairment of high-thinking
  faculties or the inducement of sleep.
• Mild tranquilizers are often used to reduce
  tension.
• Tranquilizers can produce psychological and
  physical dependency with repeated and high levels
  of usage.

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Glue Sniffing

• The practice of sniffing substances containing
  volatile or gaseous substances that are primarily
  central nervous system depressants.
• toluene seems to be the most popular
• effects include a feeling of exhilaration,
  euphoria, slurred speech, impaired judgment,
  double vision, drowsiness, stupor
• damages liver, heart, and brain and poses a
  significant risk of death

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Stimulants

• Substance taken to increase alertness or activity
  (amphetamines).
• commonly referred to as uppers or speed
• most serious form of abuse is intravenous
  injection of amphetamine or its derivative,
  methamphetamine
• other examples ice, cocaine, crack
• initially provide a flash or rush followed by
  an intense felling of pleasure and hyperactivity
  then ending in periods of exhaustion, sleeping
  continuously and prolonged periods of depression

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Cocaine

• Drug stimulant extracted from the leaves of
  Erythroxylon cocoa plant
• Generally sniffed or snorted and is absorbed
  through mucous membranes

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Ice and Crack

• Ice is
• Smokable form of methamphetamine.
• Crack is
• Derivative of cocaine that is mixed with baking
  soda and water and then heated.
• Most difficult drug addiction to overcome

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Club Drugs

• Synthetic drugs that are used at nightclubs,
  bars, and raves.
• examples include MDMA (Ecstasy), GHB, Rohypnol,
  Ketamine, Methamphetamine
• MDMA (Ecstasy) is the most popular drug at rave
  club scenes
• Ketamine is primarily used in veterinary medicine
  as an animal anesthetic

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Did You Know?

• Rohypnol and GHB are colorless, odorless,
  tasteless drugs.
• When combined with alcohol, their effects are
  enhanced and can result in loss of memory of what
  happened in the hours after ingestion.

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MDMA (Ecstasy)

• Causes hallucinogenic effects similar to other
  amphetamines
• Increases heart rate and blood pressure
• Causes confusion, anxiety, and paranoia

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Anabolic Steroids

• Steroids that promote muscle growth.
• synthetic compounds that are chemically related
  to the male sex hormone testosterone.
• Gained widespread public attention due to use and
  abuse by amateur and professional athletes.
• Can cause liver cancer and other liver problems
  as well as masculinization effects on females,
  infertility, diminished sex drives in males,
  depression, premature halting of bone growth in
  teenagers, and unpredictable effects on mood and
  personality leading to unprovoked acts of anger
  and destructive behavior.
• Current research on male athletes has found
  little, or marginal evidence that these drugs
  provide enhanced strength or performance.

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Designer Drugs

• Substances chemically related to some controlled
  drugs and are pharmacologically very potent.

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Table 9-1 (page 236)

• Narcotics
• Morphine, Heroin, Methadone, Codeine
• Depressants
• Barbiturates, Alcohol, Methaqualone (quaalude),
  Meprobamate (Miltown, Eqanil), Diazepam (Valium),
  Chlordiazepoxide (Librium), GHB, Rhohypnol
• Stimulants
• Amphetamines, Meth, Cocaine, Caffeine, Nicotine
• Hallucinogens
• Marijuana, LSD, PCP, Ecstasy

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Table 9-1 (Page 236)

• Potential for psychological or physical
  dependence of various drugs.
• BE FAMILIAR WITH THESE!

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Drug Classification Schedules

• Federal law establishes five schedules of
  classification for controlled dangerous
  substances on the basis of the following
• Drugs potential for abuse
• Potential for physical and psychological
  dependence
• Medical value

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Drug Control Schedules

• Schedule I contains drugs deemed to have high
  potential for abuse and have no currently
  accepted medical use in the U.S.
• ex heroin, marijuana, methaqualone, LSD

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Drug Control Schedules (cont.)

• Schedule II contains drugs that have high
  potential for abuse, a currently accepted
• medical use or a medical use with severe
  restrictions and a potential for severe
  psychological or physical dependence.
• ex opium its derivatives, cocaine, methadone,
  PCP, most amphetamines, and most barbiturates

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Drug Control Schedules (cont.)

• Schedule III contains drugs with less potential
  for abuse than those in I and II, currently
  acceptable medical use in the U.S., and potential
  for low or moderate physical dependence or high
  psychological dependence.
• ex all barbiturates except Phenobarbital not
  covered under schedule II, codeine preparations,
  and anabolic steroids

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Drug Control Schedules (cont.)

• Schedule IV contains drugs that have a low
  potential for abuse relative to those in III,
  have a current medical use in the U.S. and their
  abuse may lead to limited dependence.
• ex Darvon, Phenobarbital, and tranquilizers
  such as Miltown, Valium and Librium

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Drug Control Schedules (cont.)

• Schedule V contain drugs that have low abuse
  potential, medical use in the U.S., and less
  potential for producing dependence than those in
  IV.
• ex certain opiate drug mixtures that contain
  non-narcotic medicinal ingredients.

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Drug Identification Steps

• Screening tests test that is nonspecific and
  preliminary in nature used to reduce
  possibilities to a small and manageable number.
• Pinpointing and confirmation

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Drug Testing

• Criminalists employ many test or screens to
  determine the identity of a drug.
• The initial tests performed are called color
  tests.

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Color Tests

• Many drugs produce characteristic colors when
  brought into contact with specific chemical
  reagents
• 1. Marquis Reagent
• turns purple in presence of heroin, morphine
  most opium derivatives
• turns orange/brown in the presence of
  amphetamines methamphetamines

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Color Tests

• 2. Dillie-Koppanyi turns violet/blue in
  presence of barbiturates
• 3. Dequenois-Levine 3 solutions- turns purple
  in chloroform layer of solution in presence of
  marijuana

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Color Tests

• 4. Van Urk turns blue/purple in presence of LSD
• 5. Scott Test 3 solutions turns blue then
  pink then blue in chloroform layer in the
  presence of cocaine

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Microcrystalline Test

• Test to identify specific substances by the color
  and morphology of the crystals formed when the
  substance is mixed with specific reagents.
• This test is more specific that standard color
  tests.

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Other Tests

• Gas Chromatography (most satisfactory way of
  simultaneously separating and tentatively
  identifying drugs)
• Spectrophotometry (IR is more specific and
  valuable in identifying drugs than UV)
• Mass spectrometry

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Best Possible Combination

• A GC/MS combination allows for both separation as
  well as identification of unknown substances.