Transcript Forensic Drug Analysis

Forensic Drug
Analysis
60 % of Forensics Lab work is drugs
85-90% of all Criminal Cases
involve drugs
Addiction
Physical vs. Psychological addiction
 Physical

– causes withdrawl symptoms
– Ex: Alcohol, Narcotics, Depressants

Psychological addiction
– Dopamine release; satisfies an emotional
need
– Ex: Cocaine, PCP
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
Classification of Drugs

Hallucinogens
– Alters perceptions, “gen”erates illusions
– LSD (acid), PCP(angel dust), MDMA
(Ecstacy), Mescaline (peyote cactus),
Marijuana (THC), hallucinagenic
mushrooms (psilocybin)
– Most neither physical or psychological
dependence
Depressants
–Depress CNS, drowsiness, slowed
response
–Barbiturates(Phenobarbital), Ethanol
–Valium (diazepam), Xanax
(alprazolam)
–Physically and psychologically
addictive
Controlled Substances

Schedules
– I: No approved medical use
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LSD, Heroin, Psilocyn, Psilocybin, Marijuana,
MDMA, Mescaline, Methaqualone
– II: Medical use, severely addictive
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Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Codeine, Morphine
Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone, Methylphenidate
Meperidine, PCP, Phenmetrazine, Oxycodone,
Oxymorphone, Butyl nitrite, Amobarbital,
Secobarbital, Pentobarbital
– III: Medical use, somewhat addictive
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Morphine & Codeine in mixture, Opium,
Pentobarbital (Mix)
Anabolic Steroids (1991)
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)
Analysis Sequence

Observations
- Rock like, powdered, wet

Screening Test
- A preliminary test used to reduce the
number of possible identities of an
unknown substance
Screening for Marijuana
– Duquenois-Levine Color test
 THC
screening….. Marijuana and Hashish
 Drops added to vegetation, turns purple color
Confirmed at the Lab

Chromatography = separation of
mixtures
– Thin Layer (TLC)
– Gas chromatography (GC)
– Liquid chromatography (LC)
– Paper chromatography
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
More TLC
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
Color Screening Tests
for other drugs

Marquis Test: 2% formaldehyde in H2SO4
 Primary presumptive test used for ecstasy
testing. Also used to test for cocaine, opiates
(e.g. methadone, heroin), and
methamphetamine.
–
–
–
–
–
Purple
Orange to brown
Blue
Red
Pink
Opiates
Amphetamine & Meth
Ecstasy
Aspirin
cocaine
Microcrystalline test
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Chemical reagent is added which causes
crystals to form
Crystals have different shape depending
upon what drug
Cocaine
Methamphetamine
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
False positives in
Immunoassays
Poppy seeds and Vicks 44 for opiates
 Decongestants for amphetamines
 Benadryl and numerous cough syrups
for PCP

Heroin
marijuana