Handling Drugs in Law Enforcement

Flashcards about drugs in law enforcement.

What are the ways drugs can be introduced to the body?

Ingesting, inhaling, snorting, absorbing through the skin

What are drugs that are permitted by law called?

Legal Drugs

What are drugs that require a medical document to prescribe the drugs to a person?

Prescription Drugs

What are medicines sold directly to a consumer without a prescription?

Over the counter drugs

What are drug prohibited by the government for possession, manufacture and use called?

Illegal Drugs

What is compulsive or uncontrollable drug seeking and use which is considered a chronic disease?

Drug Addiction

What kind of illegal drug leads to drug abuse?

Taking large amounts of illegal drugs

Taking prescription drugs for reasons or amounts not intended by a doctor is an example of what?

Drug abuse

What are the commonly abused drugs?

Stimulants, depressants, narcotics, hallucinogens, inhalants

What kind of drug increase alertness, attention, and energy?

Stimulants

What are the prescription drugs uses to treat?

ADHD, narcolepsy, depression

What are the illegal drugs?

Cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy

What is cocaine derived from?

Coca plant

What can cocaine be processed into?

Crack

What are the common effects of cocaine?

Increased heart rate and blood pressure, seizures, cardiac arrest, death, scabs on the mucus membrane from snorting, damage to the nasal septum, collapsed nose

What kind of drug is ecstasy?

Synthetic, mind-altering drug which acts as both a stimulant and a hallucinogen

What drugs does ecstasy contain?

Methamphetamines, ketamine, cocaine, DXM, ephedrine (a diet drug)

What are the other names that ecstasy is known for?

X, E

What are the common effects of ecstasy?

Tremors, nausea, teeth clenching, anxiety, depression, possible brain damage, muscle cramps

What are the common side effects of ecstasy?

Faintness, chills, sweating, blurred vision, interference with the body’s ability to regulate its temperature which can cause hypothermia leading to liver, kidney and cardiovascular failure

What kind of drug is methamphetamine?

Addictive stimulant which is long- lasting and toxic to the brain

What are the common effects of methamphetamine?

Rapid heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, elevated body temperature, death from stroke, heart attack or organ failure, weight loss, loss of teeth

What are the other effects of methamphetamine?

Scabs and open sores on skin and face, anxiety, violence, delusions, paranoia

What are drugs which slow down heart, brain activity and muscles?

Depressants

What are the types of depressants?

Prescription drugs which are used to treat anxiety and insomnia, illegal drugs such as rohypnol and marijuana, and legal drugs such as alcohol

What kind of drug is Rohypnol?

Sedative and muscle- relaxant

What are the other names that Rohypnol is known for?

Mexican valium, roofies, wolfies, forget-me pill

What are the common effects of Rohypnol?

Exhaustion, sedation, confusion, impaired coordination, impaired judgment, memory loss

What is marijuana?

Green and brown mix of dried flowers, stems, seeds and leaves from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa

What are the common effects of marijuana?

Structural and functional deficits of the brain when used at a young age, weakened verbal and communication skills, lowered learning capabilities, shortened attention span, hazardous to developing lungs due to 50-70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke

What kind of liquid is alcohol?

Intoxicating, colorless liquid

What are the beverages that alcohol is found in?

Beer, wine and liquor

What are the common effects of alcohol?

Intoxication, stupor, unconsciousness, vomiting, memory lapses, liver damage, heart-related diseases, alcohol poisoning

What kind of drugs are narcotics?

Drugs which are used to reduce pain

What do narcotics slow down?

Heart and brain activity like depressants

What drugs include narcotics?

Prescription drugs which are used to treat severe pain, illegal drugs such as heroin, and legal drugs such as hydrocodone

What is heroin produced from?

Morphine

What are the other names that heroin is known for?

Smack, horse, dope, H, white horse, Mexican black tar

What are the common effects of heroin?

Infection, overdose, death, blood clots, liver disease, lung disease, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS (sharing needles)

What kind of medication is hydrocodone?

Prescription pain relief medication

When is hydrocodone prescribed?

Only prescribed to patients with severe pain

What are the other names that hydrocodone is known for?

Hydro, norco, vikes, perks

What are the common effects of hydrocodone?

Nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, generalized muscle weakness, slowed breathing, slowed heartbeat, loss of consciousness

What do hallucinogens cause people to do?

See, hear, feel or smell things which are not there

What kind of problems can hallucinogens cause?

Permanent brain damage and mental problems

What drugs include hallucinogens?

LSD, mushrooms, Ecstasy

What kind of drug is LSD?

Strongest hallucinogenic drugs

What forms is LSD produced in?

Crystal form

What are the other names that LSD is known for?

Acid, yellow sunshine, blue heaven

What are the common effects of LSD?

Disruption of normal brain functioning, visual judgment, sensations, moods, feelings, long lasting psychoses, thoughts and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality, severe depression

What kind of poison do mushrooms have?

Natural poison

What is the active chemical in mushrooms?

Psilocybin

What are the other names that mushrooms are known for?

Magic mushrooms, shrooms, caps, boomers

What are the common effects of mushrooms?

Hallucinations, rapid and intense emotional mood swings, panic attacks, psychosis, flashbacks, psychiatric illness, memory loss

What are solvents, aerosols and gases found in household products?

Inhalants

What household products are inhalants found in?

Spray paints, markers, glues, cleaning fluids

What are inhalants?

Harmful substances inhaled deeply into the body

What do inhalants cause?

Mood swings

What body parts do inhalants make numb?

Hands and feet

What problems can inhalants cause?

Permanent brain damage and mental problems

When does handling drugs begin?

When law enforcement officers arrive at a crime scene containing drugs or arrest a person with possession of drugs

What is the process of finding, collecting and preserving drugs or drug paraphernalia?

Handling Drugs

What is any item that can be used in connection with illegal drugs?

Drug Paraphernalia

What are the two categories of drug paraphernalia?

Paraphernalia used to distribute drugs and paraphernalia used to ingest drugs

What does drug paraphernalia include?

Pipes, syringes/needles, scales, spoons

What are pipes used for?

Smoking drugs

What are syringes/needles used for?

Injecting drugs

What are scales used for?

Measuring drugs

What are spoons used for?

Heating drugs

What does handling drugs require?

Avoiding the contamination and damage of drug evidence found at a crime scene

What should be worn when handling drugs?

Gloves

What does handling drugs include?

Photographing, collecting, documenting, analyzing, storing

When should photographing drug evidence occur?

At the crime scene before drug evidence is removed

What is useful for comparing evidence found at the crime scene to possible suspect evidence?

Photography

What shows the structure of the crime scene?

Video cameras

What is the process of collecting drug evidence from a crime scene using tools?

Collection

What tools are used for collecting drug evidence?

Tweezers, tape, scalpels, brushes, smear slides, filtered vacuum devices

What includes the documentation of movement and location of drug evidence from the time it is obtained until it is presented in court?

Documentation

What includes the documentation of condition of the drugs when collected, amount of drugs, identification of every person who handles the drugs, duration of time the drugs have been in custody, storage and packaging of drugs, and transfer of drugs?

Documentation

What kind of tests are included in analyzing?

Tests which indicate whether the sample is a drug, and tests which indicate what type of drug the sample is

What tools are used in analyzing?

Microscopes, close up photography, machines which measure and identify chemical compounds in a sample

What includes appropriately packaging and storing drugs to protect the integrity and avoid contamination?

Storing

What is used in storing?

Bags, boxes, envelopes, containers, storage cabinets

When does destroying occur?

When drug evidence is no longer needed

Where are illegal drugs disposed of?

In an incinerator approved by the Drug Enforcement Administration

Where are dangerous drugs disposed of?

In controlled receptacles

What could incorrectly handling drugs include?

Contamination and damage of drug evidence found at a crime scene, contact with drugs without personal protection gear, packaging and labeling evidence incorrectly

What can handling drugs result in?

Physical harm if a person comes into contact with a dangerous substance, drug evidence becoming inadmissible in court if not handled correctly

What does handling drugs include?

Law enforcement legally punishing criminals who violate drug regulations under the health and safety code

What can range from a minor misdemeanor to severe felony charges?

Legal Punishments

What do legal punishments depend on?

Quantity of drug, how the drug was concealed or stored, possession of drug with paraphernalia, drugs found with large amount of money, past convictions/prior offenses

What could legal punishments include?

Jail time, probation, fines, suspension of driver's license

What kind of drugs are prescription drugs?

Pharmaceutical drugs which require a medical document prescribing the drugs to a person

What can happen if you take large amounts of illegal drugs?

Drug abuse

What is the hydrochloride salt derived from the coca plant?

Cocaine

What can cocaine cause?

Damage to the nasal septum

What is impaired coordination?

Inability to execute smooth, accurate, controlled movements

What is a chronic disease?

A disease lasting 3 months or more

What is THC?

The active ingredient in marijuana

Is marijuana addictive?

Yes