Jeffery H. MoranBranch Chief, Arkansas Department of Health Arkansas Public Health Laboratory

An Analytical Chemist's Approach to Legalized Marijuana:

Future Analytical Considerations

Disclaimer• I have no financial interest associated with the topic of this

presentation.

• I am a Managing Partner of PinPoint Testing, LLC

• Comments are solely the responsibility of Jeffery H. Moran and do not represent the official views of the Arkansas Department of Health or PinPoint Testing, LLC.

• I’m a “drugs are bad” person

• I’m a “Just say Know” person

Outline• Center for Drug Detection and Response

• Laboratory Response Network: Chemistry Laboratories– Mission– Existing infrastructure and why it may offer a viable solution

for advanced testing services? Directly or Indirectly

• Adulterations with Designer Drug(s)– Synthetic Cannabinoids– Forensic identification and evaluation – Statewide surveillance and tracking data

Founded in response to the emergence designer drugs

Combines government, academic, clinical and private resources (ADH, ASCL, UAMS, ACH, PCC, Cayman Chemical, PinPoint Testing, LLC, etc.)

National, local advisory groups consisting of professional and community members (DEA, CDC, John W. Huffman, Nate Smith, Kermit Channell, Beth Coulson, etc.)

Develop analytical capacity, maintains statewide surveillance and tracking, professional and community education

Getting to Know Your LRN-C

The LRN was established by the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in accordance with Presidential Decision Directive 39. The mission of the LRN is to develop, maintain, and strengthen an integrated national and international network of laboratories that can respond quickly to needs for rapid testing, timely notification, and secure messaging of results associated with acts of biological or chemical terrorism and other high priority public health emergencies. To achieve this objective LRN laboratories are staffed, trained and equipped to perform complex clinical chemical analyses required to assess human exposure to dangerous chemicals.

– Importantly, LRN-C is in just about every state

Laboratory Response Network: Chemistry Laboratories

• Fit for Purpose: Level 2 – ICP-MS analysis - Trace metals lead, mercury,

arsenic– GC-MS - Volatiles, pesticides, and other poisons– LC-MS/MS - Semi- and non-volatiles also provides

added specificity and is a work horse for low level quantification

– ‘Network’ staffed with vast expertise for human, environmental, and food analyses (e.g. white powders)

• K2/Spice• Bath Salts• Herbal Highs• Legal Highs• Designer Drugs• Synthetics• Research Chemicals• New Psychoactive Substances• Novel Psychoactive Substances

Psychoactive Alphabet Soup: JWH, MDPV, DMT, BZP, NBOME, 2Cs, 25I,

MDMA, 5MEO-DALT, MXE, TFMPP, AM2201

“Legal Highs” Coming to America

Dark Web

Synthetic Cannabinoids• Starting in 2008 to 2009, marketed as 100s of different brand name

products disguised as incense, potpourri, herbal smoke blends• Commonly sold in sachets contain 3 grams of vegetable matter which are

treated with one or more synthetic cannabinoids (but not always vegetable matter in appearance)

• Most commonly smoked, but reports of ingestion, insufflation, rectal and parenteral use.

• Cost of 3 grams is between $20-50, utilized dose varies from user to user• Original labeling listed multiple “herbal” compounds and always with

some wording of “not for human consumption”

User Demographic

Arkansas Forensic InvestigationJan 2010 - 2014

• >4300 Items• 1823 Cases• 47 Synthetic Cannabinoids• 17 Designer Stimulants• 9 Designer Hallucinogens

Seely KA, Patton AL, Moran CL, et al. Forensic Sci Int 2013 Dec 10; 233(1-3): 416-22.

Synthetic Cannabinoids

Designer Stimulants

Designer Hallucinogens

Designer Mixtures

Specific Matrix Evaluations: ‘Vegetable Material’ vs. ‘Bath Salt’

Statewide Tracking and Surveillance

• Drugs and PCC communication

• Community outreach and education

• Physician, law enforcement and legal education

Newly Emerging Synthetic Cannabinoids

• 7 to 10 synthetic cannabinoids are historically found in 80 to 90% of all designer drug products seized in Arkansas

• New derivatives introduced in an attempt to evade regulation

Summary– Public health laboratories have existing

infrastructure and expertise to help establish marijuana testing laboratories

– Shy away from labeling marijuana as ‘safe’– Smoking anything is ‘risky’– Consuming drugs is ‘risky’

– Recent emergence of designer drugs complicates analytical surveillance for ‘legalized marijuana’

– Biomedical research is necessary– Effective tracking and surveillance is

also necessary

Final Thoughts• Dramatic paradigm shift for the role of a

public health laboratory

• Some infrastructure and expertise is in place.

• Creative ideas and workflows may need to be created to meet new legislative mandates.

Thanks to:

Jeffery Moran: jeffery.moran@arkansas.gov

501-661-2826

Center for Drug Detection and Response:http://pharmtox.uams.edu/?id=12632&sid=47

Contact Information: