1. Chapter 5 Drugs
“Having sniffed the dead man’s lips, I detected a slightly sour smell, and I came to the conclusion that he had poison forced upon him.”
—Sherlock Holmes, in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s
A Study in Scarlet

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Drugs and Crime
A drug is a natural or synthetic substance designed to produce psychological or physiological effects in humans or other animals.
75% of evidence evaluated by crime labs is drug related.
“Controlled substances” are drugs that are restricted by law
1970
5 schedules of classification
Based on potential for abuse, physical dependence, psychological dependence, and medical value.
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3. Controlled Substances Act
Schedule I—high potential for abuse; no currently acceptable medical use in the US; a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision
Schedule II—high potential for abuse; a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions; abuse may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence
Schedule III—lower potential for abuse than the drugs in I or II; a currently accepted medical use in the US; abuse may lead to moderate physical dependence or high psychological dependence
Schedule IV—low potential for abuse relative to drugs in III; a currently accepted medical use in the US; abuse may lead to limited physical or psychological dependence relative to drugs in III
Schedule V—low potential for abuse relative to drugs in IV; currently accepted medical use in the US; abuse may lead to limited physical or psychological dependence relative to drugs in IV
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4. Examples of Controlled Substances and Their Schedule Placement
Schedule I—heroin (diacetylmorphine), LSD, marijuana, ecstasy (MDMA)
Schedule II—cocaine, morphine, amphetamines (including methamphetamines), PCP, Ritalin
Schedule III—intermediate acting barbiturates, anabolic steroids, ketamine
Schedule IV—other stimulants and depressants including Valium, Xanax, Librium, phenobarbital, Darvon
Schedule V—codeine found in low doses in cough medicines
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Types of Drugs
The widely used forensic classification scheme for illicit drugs, based on their effects: 1. Narcotics Hallucinogens Depressants Stimulants Club Drugs Anabolic Steroids
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Narcotics
Induce sleep and depresses the body’s vital functions like pulse, blood pressure, and breathing
Legally used for pain and sleep
Most narcotics are opiates, derived from the opium plant (morphine, codeine)
Examples are heroin, morphine, and methadone
National Geographic: Heroin Documentary
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Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens are drugs that cause changes to normal thought, perceptions, and moods
Marijuana is the most popular hallucinogen
Liquid hashish is the strongest form and is made from the sticky resin of plant.
Other examples: LSD, PCP, and “angel dust”
National Geographic: Marijuana
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Depressants
Depressants- slow down the central nervous system
Alcohol (Ethyl Alcohol)- the most widely abused legal drug
Barbituates “downers” relax the user, create a feeling of well-being, and produce sleep. Examples include secobarbital, phenobarbital, and quaaludes.
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Depressants Cont.
Antipsychotics and Antianxiety Drugs produce relaxation without causing sleep. Examples include Valium and Librium
“Huffing” – sniffing materials containing volatile solvents
Inhalant Abuse
Inhalant Abuse 2
Inhalant Abuse 3
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Stimulants
Stimulants- substances that speed up the central nervous system
Amphetamines- called uppers or speed; IV or pill, but can be smoked
Cocaine- usually sniffed or snorted; produces euphoria; very potent form called crack and is smoked; South American countries are main suppliers
Nat. Geo. Documenatary: Cocaine
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Club Drugs
Used at night clubs, bars and raves
MDMA (Ecstasy), GHB, Rohypnol (Roofies), and methamphetamine
GHB and Rohypnol are depressants associated with rape and robbery
Ecstasy is a hallucinogenic and has amphetamine-like effects
Ketamine used by vets, but can cause hallucinations
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12. Anabolic Steroids
Anabolic steroids- related to male sex hormone testosterone that promotes muscle growth
Used by amateur and professional athletes to enhance performance
Harmful side effects include liver cancers, masculinization of females, infertility, diminished sex drive in males, etc…
Nat. Geo. : The Science of Steroids

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Drug Identification
Screening or presumptive tests
Spot or color tests- produce characteristic colors for common illicit drugs
Microcrystalline test—
a reagent is added that produces a crystalline precipitate which is unique for a certain drug.
Chromatography
Confirmatory tests
Spectrophotometry
Ultraviolet (UV)
Visible
Infrared (IR)
Mass spectrometry
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14. Human Components Used for Drug Analysis
Blood
Urine
Hair
Gastric Contents
Bile
Liver tissue
Brain tissue
Kidney tissue
Spleen tissue
Vitreous Humor of the Eye
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15. Presumptive Color Tests
Marquis—turns purple in the presence of most opium derivatives and orange-brown with amphetamines
Dillie-Koppanyi—turns violet-blue in the presence of barbiturates
Duquenois-Levine—turns a purple color in the presence of marijuana
Van Urk—turns a blue-purple in the presence of LSD
Scott test—color test for cocaine, blue
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Chromatography
A technique for separating mixtures into their components
Includes two phases—a mobile (liquid or solvent) one that flows past a stationary (paper or thin layer plate) one.
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Paper Chromatography
Capillary action moves the mobile phase through the stationary phase
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18. Thin Layer Chromatography
Stationary phase— a thin layer of coating (usually alumina or silica) on a sheet of plastic or glass
Mobile phase—
a liquid solvent
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19. Gas Chromatography, page 182
Phases
Stationary—a solid or a viscous liquid that lines a tube or column
Mobile—a gas like nitrogen or helium
Analysis
Peaks that are proportional to the quantity of the substance present
Larger molecules move through chromatograph slower.
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20. Uses of Gas Chromatography
Not considered a confirmation of a controlled substance
Used as a separation tool before the follow-up confirmatory tests: mass spectroscopy (MS) and infrared spectroscopy (IR)
Used to quantitatively measure the concentration of a sample. (In a courtroom, there is no real requirement to know the concentration of a substance. It does not affect guilt or innocence).
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Spectroscopy
Spectroscopy—the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter.
Spectrophotometer—an instrument used to measure and record the absorption spectrum of a chemical substance.
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Spectrophotometry
Types (radiation sources)
Ultraviolet
Visible
Infrared- unique ID, like a fingerprint
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Mass Spectrometry
Gas chromatography has one major drawback, it does not give a specific identification. Mass spectrometry cannot separate mixtures. By combining the two (GCMS), constituents of mixtures can be specifically identified.
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Mass Spectra
Each molecular species has its own unique mass spectrum which means you get an exact ID.
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25. IR Spectrophotometry and Mass Spectrometry
Both work well in identifying pure substances.
Mixtures are difficult to identify in both techniques
Both are compared to a catalog of standard reference samples
When used with Gas Chromatography you separate the mixtures and get an exact ID of each component in the mixture.
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26. Collection and Preservation of Drug Evidence
Packaged to prevent loss or contamination; can be original container drug was seized in
Volatile Solvents in air-tight containers
Labeled/Chain of Custody
Officer should supply any background info known and results of any field tests
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