Forensic Drug Analysis

1
Forensic Drug Analysis

• 60 of Forensics Lab work is drugs
• 85-90 of all Criminal Cases involve drugs

2
Addiction

• Physical vs. Psychological addiction
• Physical
• causes withdrawl symptoms
• Ex Alcohol, Narcotics, Depressants
• Psychological addiction
• Dopamine release satisfies an emotional need
• Ex Cocaine, PCP

3
Classification of Drugs

• Opiates/Narcotics
• Reduce sensation sleep like state
• morphine, heroin, codeine, fentanyl
• Both physically and psychologically addictive
• Stimulants
• Stimulates, speeds up, the central nervous system
  (CNS)
• high energy, euphoria
• amphetamines, cocaine, nicotine
• Psychologically addictive

4
Classification of Drugs

• Hallucinogens
• Alters perceptions, generates illusions
• LSD (acid), PCP(angel dust), MDMA (Ecstasy),
  Mescaline (peyote cactus), Marijuana (THC),
  hallucinagenic mushrooms (psilocybin)
• Most neither physical nor psychological dependence

5

• Depressants
• Depress CNS, drowsiness, slowed response
• Barbiturates(Phenobarbital), Ethanol
• Valium (diazepam), Xanax (alprazolam)
• Physically and psychologically addictive

6
Controlled Substances

• Schedules
• I No approved medical use
• LSD, Heroin, Psilocyn, Psilocybin, Marijuana,
• MDMA, Mescaline, Methaqualone
• II Medical use, severely addictive
• Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Codeine, Morphine
• Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone, Methylphenidate
• Meperidine, PCP, Phenmetrazine, Oxycodone,
• Oxymorphone, Butyl nitrite, Amobarbital,
• Secobarbital, Pentobarbital
• III Medical use, somewhat addictive
• Morphine Codeine in mixture, Opium,
  Pentobarbital (Mix)
• Anabolic Steroids (1991)

7
Controlled Substances II

• IV Medical use, low addictive potential
• Xanax Valium
• Ephedrine
• Codeine cough syrup
• Phenobarbital
• V OTC
• Mixtures of analgesics and opiates
• Propylhexedrine (decongestant)

8
Analysis Sequence

• Observations
• Rock like, powdered, wet
• Screening Test
• A presumptive test used to reduce the number of
  possible identities of an unknown substance

9
Screening for Marijuana

• Duquenois-Levine Color test
• THC screening.. Marijuana and Hashish
• Drops added to vegetation, turns purple color

10
Confirmed at the Lab

• Chromatography separation of mixtures
• Thin Layer (TLC)
• Gas chromatography (GC)
• Liquid chromatography (LC)
• Paper chromatography

11
TLC of Marijuana

• Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC)
• Marijuana is a mixture of compounds
• Components spread out in solvent

Components of various sizes and solubilities
travel further
12
Under the scope Marijuana

• Green Plant Material
• Must be dry, in paper
• Microscopic Examination
• Look for Bear Claw cystolythic hair on top
  surface of leaf

13
Color Screening Tests for other drugs

• Marquis Test ex Nark II
• Primary presumptive test used for ecstasy
  testing. Also used to test for cocaine, opiates
  (e.g. methadone, heroin), and methamphetamine.
• Purple Opiates
• Orange to brown Amphetamine Meth
• Blue Ecstasy
• Red Aspirin
• Pink cocaine

14
Watch the video and then answer the
questions. Video Link http//www.aetv.com/crime-3
60/video/index.jsp?bcpid1459183602bclid14592939
23bctid1620577030
1. What kit do investigators use to identify a
type of drug?A. Mark II B. Nark II C. Dark II
2. True or False?Investigators taste a drug
sample to identify what it is. 3. What color
would morphine or heroin turn after the
reaction?A. Black B. Brown C. Purple 4. How
long did the investigator have to agitate the
sample?A. 12 seconds B. 20 seconds C. 60
seconds 5. What type of drug was the test
sample? A. Morphine or Heroin B. Ecstasy
C. Amphetamine or Meth
15
The answers are
1. What kit do investigators use to identify a
type of drug?A. Mark II B. Nark II C. Dark II
2. True or False?Investigators taste a drug
sample to identify what it is. 3. What color
would morphine or heroin turn after the
reaction?A. Black B. Brown C. Purple 4. How
long did the investigator have to agitate the
sample?A. 12 seconds B. 20 seconds C. 60
seconds 5. What type of drug was the test
sample? A. Morphine or Heroin B. Ecstasy
C. Amphetamine or Meth
16
Microcrystalline test

• Chemical reagent is added which causes crystals
  to form
• Crystals have different shape depending upon what
  drug

Cocaine
Methamphetamine
17
Infrared (IR) Drug Fingerprinting
Substance is dissolved in solution IR waves sent
thru the mixture Reflect back a fingerprint of
the substance(s) in the mix
Spectral comparison of Prozac with a fluoxetine
hydrochloride (10 mg) lactose-formulated product
a knock-off.
18
Infrared (IR) Drug Fingerprinting continued
Spectral comparison of Prozac with a fluoxetine
hydrochloride starch-formulated generic product.
19
Drug Testing in the Body

• Urine is most common
• Immunoassay
• Based on antigen-antibody binding specificity
• Antibody produced by injecting antigen (drug)
  into rabbit
• Antibodies will bind to drug in urine
• Confirmation done w/TLC

20
False positives in Immunoassays

• Poppy seeds and Vicks 44 for opiates
• Decongestants for amphetamines
• Benadryl and numerous cough syrups for PCP

21
Heroin
22
marijuana