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FORENSIC DRUG ANALYSIS

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INTRODUCTION
- Forensic drug chemistry uses a series of processes performed in the field or laboratory to detect the presence or absence of controlled substances
- Chemical analysis performed in the laboratory on submitted evidence detects and identifies illegal drugs, and helps law enforcement prosecute offenders
- Results from this analysis often serve as the basis for criminal proceedings and help to determine sentencing for convicted offenders
CLASSIFICATION OF DRUGS
- Opiates
  - USE & EFFECT
    - Reduce sensation and induce a sleep-likestate
  - EXAMPLES
    - Heroin, morphine, codeine,methadone
- Hallucinogens
  - USE & EFFECT
    - After an individual’s perceptions and may result in illusions and sensory distortions
  - EXAMPLES
    - LSD,cannabis and other cannabinoids
- Depressant
  - USE & EFFECT
    - Depress the functions of the central nervous system,resultingcalm irritability and anxiety and may induce sleep
  - EXAMPLES
    - Alcohol (ethanol) Barbiturates tranquilizers, and various substances that can be sniffed
- Stimulants
  - USE & EFFECT
    - Stimulants are substances taken to increase alertness or activity, followed by a decrease in fatigue and a loss of appetite
  - EXAMPLES
    - Amphetamines, cocaine, methamphetamines
- Club Drugs or synthetic drug
  - USE & EFFECT
    - The term club drugs refers to synthetic drugs that are used at nightclubs, bars, and raves
  - EXAMPLES
    - MDMA (Ecstasy), GHB,Rohypnol (“Roofies”), Ketamine, Methamphetamine
- Anabolic Streoids
  - EXAMPLES
    - Human growth steroids, testosterone
  - USE & EFFECT
    - Mood swings, impairedjudgement, aggession
TYPES OF DRUGS
- Opiates
  - OxyContin
    - with the active ingredient oxycodone, is not derived from opium or morphine
    - for treatment patient with chronic pain
  - Codeine
    - also present in opium, but it is usually prepared synthetically from morphine
  - Methadone
    - another well-known synthetic opiate
    - pharmacologically related to heroin, appears to eliminate the addict’s desire for heroin while producing minimal side effects
  - Morphine
    - readily extracted from opium and is used to synthesize heroin
  - Heroin
    - produces a “high” that is accompanied by drowsiness and a sense of well-being that generally last for three to four hours
    - Addicts frequently dissolve heroin in water by heating it in a spoon, and then inject in the skin.
- Hallucinogens
  - Marijuana
    - the most controversial drug in this class because its long-term effects on health are still largely unknown
    - Marijuana refers to a preparation derived from the plant Cannabis
    - does not cause physical dependency, but the risk of harm is in heavy, long-term use
  - Others Hallucinogens
    - LSD
      - synthesized from lysergic acid, and can cause hallucinations that can last for 12 hours
    - Phencyclidine
      - Oral intake of PCP first leads to feelings of strength and invulnerability, which may turn to depression, tendencies toward violence, and suicide
- Depressant
  - Barbiturates
    - normally taken orally and create a feeling of well-being, relax the body, and produce sleep
  - Tranquilizers
    - produce a relaxing tranquility without impairment of high-thinking faculties or inducing sleep
  - Alcohol
    - acts to suppress the brain’s control of thought processes and muscle coordination
- Stimulants
  - Crack
    - stimulates the brain’s pleasure center
  - Methamphetamine
    - cause an initial “rush,” followed by an intense feeling of pleasure, followed by a period of exhaustion and a prolonged period of depression
  - Cocaine
    - causes increased alertness and vigor, accompanied by the suppression of hunger, fatigue, and boredom
- Club Drugs or synthetic drug
  - MDMA
    - enhances self-awareness and decreases inhibitions
  - Ketamine
    - causes euphoria and hallucinations
  - GHB
    - central nervous system depressants that are often connected with drug-facilitated sexual assault, rape, and robbery
- Anabolic Streoids
  - synthetic compounds that are chemically related to the male sex hormone testosterone.
  - Side effects include unpredictable effects on mood and personality, depression, diminished sex drive, halting bone growth, and liver cancer
IDENTIFICATION OF DRUGS
- Qualitative
- TYPE OF TEST
  - Screening Test
    - preliminary tests used to reduce the number of possible identities of an unknown substance
  - Confirmation Test
    - a single test that specifically identifies a substance
- Quantitative
TEST USED TO DETERMINE DRUGS
- Colour Test
  - When mixed with a certain reagent, a drug can produce a characteristic color
  - Useful for field investigators
- Microcrystalline Test
  - Crystals have different shape depending upon what drug
  - More specific than colour test
  - Quick, cheap and no isolation required
- Chromatography Test
  - An analytical technique used to separate the components of a mixture for the purpose of identification and quantification
  - Useful to forensic scientists because drugs often come in the form of a mixtures
  - TLC
    - Different solvents result in different distances where some systems include color change components
    - As the solvent travels up the chromatogram, components of a mixture travel at different speeds
    - Unknown substances can be compared to reference samples
  - GAS
    - GC –solid stationary phase/gaseous mobile phase
    - Complex mixtures can easily be analyzed
    - Quantitative results can be obtained
    - The time it takes to pass through the capillary gives an indication of which drug it is
- Spectrophotometry
  - UV-Visible
    - The absorption of UV or visible light can be used to identify or quantify an unknown substance
    - Identification is not exact; other substances can have similar absorption spectra
  - Infrared Light
    - Unknown substances can be analyzed by measuring the absorption of infrared light
    - Substances can be specifically identified by their IRspectrum (like a fingerprint)
  - Mass spectrometry
    - A substance is bombarded with high-energy electrons
      - This causes the substance to ionize
        The ions break up into smaller fragments.
        The fragments are separated by mass
        The fragmentation pattern is unique to each individual substance