Overview of Illicit Drugs and Forensic Toxicology

Drug

a natural or synthetic substance that is designed to produce a specific set of psychological and/or physiological effects on the human body or animals

Illicit

forbidden by law, rules, or custom

Drug abuse

when a drug is consumed for purposes other than what intended for, usually psychoactive effects

1906: Pure Food and Drug Act

Did not allow states to transfer drugs across state lines that were mislabeled/adultured

1914: Harrison Act

Regulated the sale of opium and cocaine

1930: Bureau of Narcotics

Enforced taxes on imported drugs

1956: Narcotic Drug Control Act

Increased penalties on drugs

1970: Comprehensive Controlled Substance Act

Uniform Controlled Substances Act - state level control of illicit substances

Drug Schedules

FDA uses factors to evaluate how to schedule/classify illicit drugs

Pharmacological effects

One of the factors FDA uses to evaluate drugs for scheduling/classification

Ability to produce psychological dependence and physical addiction

One of the factors FDA uses to evaluate drugs for scheduling/classification

A legitimate medical use for the substance

One of the factors FDA uses to evaluate drugs for scheduling/classification

Five Schedules

based on potential for abuse, pharmacology, and medical use

Naturally Occurring

found in nature in plants (marijuana, shrooms)

Plant Extracts

naturally occurring, but needs to be extracted (cocaine)

Semi-Synthetic

derived chemically from a natural substance (LSD)

Synthetic

totally man-made (ecstasy)

Stimulants

elevate one's mood

Depressants

de-elevate one's mood

Narcotic

relieves pain

Hallucinogen

alters mind

Forensic Toxicology

study of harmful effects of drugs

Postmortem Toxicology

analysis conducted after death to determine drug presence

Human Performance

evaluation of drug effects on athletes, etc.

Doping Control

monitoring athletes for illegal drug use

Workplace Drug Screening

testing employees for drug use

Chemical analysis of biological samples

to identify poisons and determine their amounts

Interpretation of results

how it affects the person's functioning/stability

Toxicology

study of harmful effects of drugs

Pharmacology

study of how drugs enter the body and how distributed and eliminated

Poison

substance that causes illness or death of a living organism (toxic effect)

Pharmacokinetics

what happens to the drug by the organism - how it moves in and out of the body

Pharmacodynamics

what happens to the organism when a drug is taken

Absorbance

how drugs are introduced to the body; passage of drugs through tissue into bloodstream

Alcohol (Oral)

into stomach and then absorbed mostly in the upper part of the small intestine

Distribution

anywhere there is blood, which is everywhere

Concentration of drug

is not the same; more blood = more drug; depends on chemical and physical properties

Metabolism

effect of the liver on the drug

Alcohol Metabolism Rate

90% of alcohol is metabolized at a rate of 0.015% per hour

Excretion/Elimination

Primarily through urine - water soluble metabolites; exhales, sweat, bile, breast milk

Addiction

psychological dependence of a drug

Dependence

physical need for the drug to function - failure to provide drug causes withdrawal

Synergism

total effect on the body of 2+ drugs taken together is greater than taken separately

Tolerance

body's organ systems adapt to a drug, need more of the drug for the same level of effect

Screening Test

Alcohol - field sobriety (walking line, saying alphabet backwards, etc.) & portable breath test

Confirmatory Test for Alcohol

Breath Test Instrument (BRAC); living person at the police station

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)

postmortem measurement using GCMS - headspace

Explosion

sudden violent escape of gases from a central point

Combustion Reaction

fuel (flammable objects/substances) and oxygen produces carbon dioxide, water, and energy

Flash Point

lowest temperature at which a liquid gives off enough vapors to form an ignitable mixture with air

Smoke

occurs when there is an incomplete combustion in a fire - 'fuel rich'

Flashover/Backdraft

occurs when the fire burns with a limited supply of oxygen and then is suddenly ventilated, resulting in an explosive fire

Types of Fires

Natural, Accidental, Deliberate/Incendiary

Ignition Types

Self-ignition, Direct ignition, Electrical, Weather-related, Mechanical

Arson

A deliberate/incendiary fire that was set with criminal intent

Analysis of Fire Debris

Collection and packaging of debris; isolating the possible accelerant from the fire debris

High Order Explosion

occurs at or near its maximum theoretical detonation velocity

Low Order Explosion

occurs with less than optimal efficiency

Classifications of Explosives

Low Explosives, High Explosives, Initiating/Primary, Non-initiating/Secondary