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DrugsObjectives:1. Compare and contrast psychological and physical dependency2. Name and classify the commonly abused drugs3. Describe he laboratory tests normally used to perform a routine drug identification

analysis4. Describe and explain the process of chromatography5. Explain the difference between thin-layer and gas chromatography6. Describe the utility of ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopy for the identification of

organic compounds7. Describe the concept and utility of mass spectrometry for identification analysis8. Understand the proper collection and preservation of drug evidence

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Drug Dependency• Drug

– a natural or synthetic substance that produces physiological or psychological effects in humans or other animals

• Psychological Dependence– conditioned use caused by underlying emotional

needs• Physical Dependence

– physiological changes in body leads to addiction (physical dependence) so that when drug is removed individual goes through withdrawal sickness or abstinence syndrome

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Types of Drugs• Narcotics

– narkotikos (Gr) numbness/deadening– substances that relieve pain and produce sleep

• Hallucinogens– substances that cause marked alterations in normal

thought processes, perceptions, moods• Depressants

– substances that slow down the CNS• Stimulants

– substances that speed up the CNS

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Narcotics

• Opiates– derived from Asian poppy

• analgesics– relieve pain by depressing CNS

– Natural Opiates• morphine• heroin• codeine

– Synthetic Opiates• methadone• oxycodone (OxyContin)

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Hallucinogens• Marijuana

– Cannabis sativa• tetrahydrocannabinol (THC

– active substance

– most widely used illicit drug– heart rate , dry mouth, red eyes, impaired motor skills, hunger, sweet tooth– legal uses

• muscle relaxant• reduce intraocular pressure of glaucoma• reduce nausea from chemotherapy

• LSD– lysergic acid diethylamide

• ergot derived (wheat fungus)– anxiety, tension, mood changes

• PCP (angel dust)– phencyclidine– severe depression, violence, suicide in long term users

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Depressants• Ethyl Alcohol

– inhibits memory, judgment, concentration, coordination• Barbiturates

– relaxation, feelings of well being, sleep• amobarbital, secobarbial, phenobarbital, pentobarbital, butabarbital

• Antipsychotic/Antianxiety Drugs– relax without inducing sleep

• meprobamate (Miltown), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), diazepam (Valium)

• Huffing– sniffing volatile stuff

• toluene (glue), naphtha, methyl ethyl ketone (antifreeze), gasoline, trichloroethylene (cleaning fluid)

– exhilaration, euphoria, slurred speech, impaired judgment, double vision

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Stimulants

• Amphetamines– feeling of well being, alertness, fatigue,

appetite, restlessness– chronic users

• violent destructive behavior, acute psychosis, schizophrenia

• Cocaine– Erythroxylon coca alertness, vigor, hunger, fatigue,

boredom• crack = cocaine + baking soda + water

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Club Drugs

• synthetic drugs prevalent in nightclubs, bars, raves– MDMAMDMA (Ecstasy)

• synthetic mind altering drug• enhances self awareness & decreases inhibitions heart rate, BP, anxiety, paranoia, body temperature

– GHBGHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate), Rohypnol (roofies)• depressants used in date rape, sexual assaults, robbery

– KetamineKetamine (animal tranquilizers)• euphoria and feelings of unreality• impair motor function, high BP, amnesia, respiratory depression

– methamphetamine

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Anabolic Steroids

• synthetic compounds chemically related to testosterone– promotes 2° sex characteristics– accelerates muscle growth

• harmful effects– liver cancer and malfunctions– masculinization of females– infertility– diminished sex drive in males– premature halting of bone growth in teens– unpredictable effects on moods and personalities– depression

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Controlled Substances Act• legal drug classification system to prevent and control drug abuse

– Schedule ISchedule I • high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in US, no accepted safety

for use of the drug under medical supervision.– Schedule IISchedule II

• high potential for abuse, has currently accepted medical use in US or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions, abuse of the drug may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.

– Schedule IIISchedule III• potential for abuse less than the drugs in schedules I and II, has a currently accepted

medical use in US, abuse of the drug may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.

– Schedule IVSchedule IV• has a low potential for abuse relative to the drugs in schedule III, has a currently

accepted medical use in US, abuse of the drug may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to the drugs in schedule III.

– Schedule VSchedule V• low potential for abuse relative to the drugs in schedule IV, has a currently accepted

medical use in US, abuse of the drug may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to the drugs in schedule IV.

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Forensic Drug Analysis

• specimen is a specific drug or it is not• must support and defend validity in court

– Screening and Confirmation– Color Tests– Microcrystalline Tests– Chromatography– Spectrophotometry

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Screening and Confirmation

• need to ID a substance of unknown origin and composition– Screening TestsScreening Tests

• used to reduce the number of possible identities• allow exclusion of certain drugs

– ConfirmationConfirmation• specific test used to identify substance to the exclusion of all

other known substances– QualitativeQualitative – relates just to the identity of the substance– QuantitativeQuantitative – relates to the percentage combination in the

mixture

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Color Tests

• reagents used for screening– Marquis Marquis Test

• purplepurple – morphine, heroin, opiate derivatives– Dillie-Koppanyi Dillie-Koppanyi Test

• violetviolet--blueblue – barbiturates– Dugenois-Levine Dugenois-Levine Test

• purplepurple – marijuana– Van Urk Van Urk Test

• blueblue-purplepurple – LSD– ScottScott Test (cobalt thiocyanate)

• blue – cocaine• pink with addition of HCl• blue with addition of chloroform

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Microcrystalline Tests

• produces crystalline precipitate of specific color and shape under microscope– cocaine– methamphetamine

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Chromatography

• separates mixtures based on attraction to a stationary phase while being propelled by a moving phase (related to solubility)– Thin-Layer Chromatography– Paper Chromatography– Gas Chromatography

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Thin Layer Chromatography

• solid stationary phase (silica gel)

• liquid moving phase (various solvents)R

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Gas Chromatography

• stationary liquid phase • gaseous moving phase

– not an absolute ID– but is very sensitive

• nanograms (10-9g)

• packed column• capillary column

– retention time• time needed for component

to leave the column

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Spectrophotometry

• identifies substances by exposure to specific kinds of electromagnetic radiation– absorption spectrum

• shows absorption light as a function of wavelength or frequency– related to Beer’s Law (A=kc)

» A is quantity of light absorbed» k is a proportionality constant» c is the concentration of the absorbing material

– allows quantification

• UV and Visible Spectrophotometry – establish “probable” ID• IR Spectrophotometry

– multiple bands – like a fingerprint– very characteristic

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Mass Spectrometry

• gas chromatography separates mixture

• then exposed to electron beam

• particles ionized

• separated by mass – GC curves into MS “bar components” (p190)