Forensics Unit 3: Drugs & Toxicology

Drug

Natural or synthetic substances that change physical or psychological functions.

Forensic Toxicology

The study of drugs, alcohol, and poisons in biological evidence.

Psychological dependence

A condition where a person feels a strong desire to use a drug due to their emotional or mental reliance on it.

Physiological Dependence

A condition where a person experiences withdrawal symptoms and physical reliance on a drug, causing them to continue using the substance to avoid discomfort.

Stimulants

Drugs that increase central nervous system activity; examples include cocaine and amphetamines.

Depressants

Drugs that slow central nervous system activity; examples include alcohol and benzodiazepines.

Opioids

Drugs that relieve pain and can slow breathing; examples include morphine and fentanyl.

Hallucinogens

Drugs that alter perception, mood, and cognitive processes; Examples include LSD and psilocybin.

Cannabinoids

Chemicals that act on cannabinoid receptors in the brain and affect mood, memory, and coordination; THC is an example.

Dissociative’s

Drugs that can cause detachment from surroundings; examples include PCP and ketamine.

Schedule 1

A classification for drugs that have a high potential for abuse, no accepted medical use in the U.S., and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision. Examples include heroin and LSD.

Schedule 2

A classification for drugs that have a high potential for abuse, have accepted medical uses, and may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence. Examples include cocaine and oxycodone.

Schedule 3

A classification for drugs that have a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence, accepted medical uses, and include examples like anabolic steroids and certain pain medications.

Schedule 4

A classification for drugs that have a low potential for abuse relative to Schedule 3, accepted medical uses, and a lower risk of dependence. Examples include alprazolam and diazepam.

Schedule 5

A classification for drugs that have a low potential for abuse relative to Schedule 4, accepted medical uses, and include preparations with limited quantities of certain narcotics. Examples include cough preparations with less than 200 mg of codeine per 100 mL.

Screening Test

A preliminary method used to detect the presence of drugs or toxins in biological samples, such as urine or blood. These tests are often used in drug testing programs or clinical settings.

Confirmation Test

A follow-up test used to definitively identify and quantify specific drugs or toxins present in a sample, often utilizing techniques such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Drug Color Test

A qualitative analysis technique used to identify drugs based on color changes observed after adding specific reagents.

Microcrystalline Test

A qualitative test used to identify the presence of specific drugs through the formation of characteristic crystals when a sample is mixed with a reagent.

Chromatography

A laboratory technique for separating mixtures to analyze complex substances, often used in the identification of drugs and toxins.

Gas Chromatography

A method that uses vaporization (gas) to separate components of a mixture for analysis, commonly utilized in drug and toxicology settings.

Thin-Layer Chromatography

A chromatography technique that uses a thin layer of adsorbent material on a flat surface to separate and identify compounds based on their movement in a solvent.

Mass Spectrometry

Helps identify substances by measuring ions and their mass-to-charge ratios.

Drug Evidence Preservation

Separately package, seal, label, and document evidence to prevent loss or contamination.

Qualitative Reasoning

What substance or material is present or absent.

Quantitative Reasoning

Measures how much of a substance is present.