Controlled Substances

What is a controlled substance? “Controlled substance” is a legal term referring specifically to substances controlled by federal or state laws. Drugs Possession of a controlled substance for personal use is at least a misdemeanor on the first offense.

What is a controlled substance? Used interchangeably with “drug of abuse” but some drugs of abuse are not illegal, e.g., caffeine. Drugs

Controlled Substances Act, 1970 Established legal definitions for drugs Set up five schedules for classification of drugs and penalties for each. Drugs

Controlled Substances Act, 1970 Five Schedules:  Schedule I drugs carry the most severe penalties; considered to have a “high potential for abuse” and have “no accepted medical use”  Schedule II drugs have a high potential for abuse but have an accepted medical use  Schedules III – V have an accepted medical use and decrease in potential for abuse Drugs

Types of Drugs Naturally Occurring: Marijuana, Cocaine, Morphine, Codeine, Psilocybin/Psilocin Synthetic: Phencyclidine (PCP), Amphetamines, Barbiturates Semisynthetic: (prepared chemically from a natural substance) Heroin, LSD Drugs

Legal Definition:  all parts of the plant Cannabis sativa L., whether growing or not; the seeds thereof; the resin extracted from any part of such plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such plant, its seeds or resins; but shall not include the mature stalks of such plant, fiber produced from such stalks, oil or cake made from the seeds of such plant, any other compound, manufacture, salt derivative, mixture or preparation of such mature stalks (except the resin extracted there from) fiber, oil, or cake, or the sterilized seed of such plant which is incapable of germination Drugs Marijuana

Occurrence: Orient origin; now grows worldwide Active Ingredients: cannabinoids, primarily THC (tetrahydrocannibinol) Legal/Scientific Issues: definition of hashish; >1 species of Cannabis Drugs Marijuana

“Coca leaves and any salt, compound, derivative, or preparation thereof…” Drugs Cocaine Legal Definition:

Occurrence: coca plant grows at high elevations (Andes mountains of Bolivia Columbia), rarely found in pure form in U.S. Legal/Scientific Issues: numerous isomers, classified as narcotic, high income for abusers (better legal defense) Drugs Cocaine

Legal Definition  Covered under “opium derivatives, their salts, isomers, and salts of isomers whenever the existence of such salts, isomers, and salts of isomers is possible within the specific chemical designation”  May also be called diacetylmorphine Drugs Heroin

Occurrence: most are hot, dry Middle Eastern Countries Legal/Scientific Issues: Usually none, quantity for scientific analysis sometimes an issue Drugs Heroin

Legal definition:  PCP, its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers Drugs Phencyclidine (PCP) Two of its precursors are also controlled because synthesis of PCP from these precursors is a trivial matter PCP is Schedule II, but some of its analogs are Schedule I

Occurrence: once used as an animal tranquilizer; called “angel dust”; may appear as an adulterant Legal/Scientific Issues: Must know chemistry, preparation, precursors, and analogs; Must show that PCP was made or goal was to make PCP for clandestine labs Drugs Phencyclidine (PCP)

Legal definition  Salts, isomers, salts of isomers  Schedule I “hallucinogenic substances” Drugs LSD (lysergic acid diethlyamide)

Occurrence: derived from lysergic acid found in the ergot fungus (grows on certain rye plants); found on blotter paper, gel caps, sugar cubes, etc. Legal/Scientific Issues: small amount = difficult to analyze; presence of interfering substances (purification necessary) Drugs LSD (lysergic acid diethlyamide)

Legal definition  Schedule II “stimulant” section  Covers amphetamine, methamphetamine, and their salts, isomers, and salts of isomers  Precursors also controlled Drugs Amphetamines

Occurrence: many different forms, legal (prescription or OTC) and illegal Legal/Scientific Issues: large number of isomers and derivatives, clandestine labs Drugs Amphetamines

Legal definition  Many different derivatives of barbituric acid with a wide variety of effects  Can be found in Schedules II – V  Some in Schedule V can be obtained legally with a prescription Drugs Barbiturates

Occurrence: Normally found in tablets or capsules, legally and illegally Legal/Scientific Issues: Identification of exact derivative Drugs Barbiturates

Legal definition  Schedule I “hallucinogens”  The mushrooms are not controlled federally, just the substances derived from them. Drugs Psilocybin and Psilocin

Occurrence: found in a number of mushrooms, usually not extracted from the mushrooms before being sold Legal/Scientific Issues: Identification and extraction from mushroom Drugs Psilocubin and Psilocin

Legal Definition  Schedule I “hallucinogen”  Derived from plant Lophophora williamsii (cactus)  Both mescaline and the plant it comes from are controlled Drugs Mescaline (peyote)

Occurrence: Found on street as peyote buttons which are eaten, occasionally extracted as powder Legal/Scientific Issues: Identification and extraction Drugs Mescaline (peyote)

 Identifying controlled substances is a basic function of forensic laboratories.  The responsibility usually falls to a forensic chemist.  The scope of analyses usually only falls within the categories of drugs that are controlled by laws and statutes, i.e., in the context of a crime. Drugs Summary