Drugs Flashcards Preview

Intro to Forensic Science > Drugs > Flashcards

Flashcards in Drugs Deck (47)
Loading flashcards...
1
Q

What is a drug?

A

any substance that produces significant physiological or psychological changes which occur within a reasonable time after dosing and which result from an easily ingested dose

2
Q

Drugs are used to:

A
  • sustain and prolong life
  • ease and manage pain, symptoms
  • release stress and pressure
  • experiment recreationally
  • end’s someone’s life
3
Q

Common drugs

A
  • alcohol
  • tobacco/nicotine
  • cocaine/ crack
  • marijuana
  • heroin
  • ecstasy
  • bath salts
4
Q

Drugs used in the 1960’s

A

Hallucinogens, amphetamines, barbiturates

marijuana most widely abused illicit drug in the US

5
Q

Drugs used in the 1970’s

A

heroin use and addiction becomes national problem in the US

6
Q

Drugs used in the 1980’s/90’s

A

Cocaine/crack are drugs of choice

7
Q

What is drug dependance?

A

An individual will demonstrate drug dependence when he/she becomes physically ill or psychologically disoriented when drug use is discontinued

8
Q

What is the most abused drug in the Western world?

A

Alcohol

9
Q

Physiological (Physical) Dependence

A

Occurs when someone takes a substance in increasing dosages because the body requires MORE of the substance for the same, not increased, effect

10
Q

Psychological Dependence

A

Occurs when the desire for a substance overtakes he rest of a person’s life

11
Q

Six (6) basic categories of drugs

A
  • Narcotic drugs
  • Stimulants
  • Hallucinogens
  • Depressants, Hypnotics, and tranquilizers
  • Club Drugs
  • Performance enhancing drugs
12
Q

Narcotics

A

Substances that bring relief from pain and produce sleep

  • also referred to as Analgesics
  • Used as pain killers legally
  • Used for euphoric purposes illegally
  • Regular use will result in physiological dependence
  • Sometimes used to describe any illicit substance
13
Q

Opium

A

dried sap from a poppy plant

14
Q

Morphine

A

largest single drug component in opium

Heroin: morphine + acetate groups

15
Q

Codeine

A

second largest drug component in opium

  • Not as effective/addictive as morphine
  • Chemically structurally similar to morphine
16
Q

OxyContin

A

synthetically produced but closely related to morphine and heroin

17
Q

Heroin

A
  • usually found in glassine envelopes
  • not 100% pure (fillers include novocain, starch, levamisole, flour, etc)
  • Will have stamp on outside for marketing purposes
  • Cutting agents (levamisole, fentanyl)
18
Q

Fentanyl

A

50-100% more potent than morphine

30-50% more potent than heroin

19
Q

Stimulants

A
  • Used to increase an individual’s mental and physical energy level
  • Stimulate the central nervous system
  • Will suppress the desire to sleep
  • Will give a higher than normal energy level leading to a crash
20
Q

Cocaine:

Hydrochloride v. Base

A

Hydrochloride: powder, snorted
Base: crack, freebase, smoked

21
Q

Cocaine

A

Extracted from Erythroxylon coca plant leaves

Common use in the 1800s

Sigmund Freud, common pain relief in field workers

22
Q

Amphetamine

A
  • Stimulates the CNS
  • Creates the feeling of euphoria with hyperactivity
  • Quick rush followed by intense feelings of pleasure
  • Hallucinations are possible
  • Exhaustion and depression follow
23
Q

Methamphetamine

A
  • Was originally used to treat narcolepsy and other conditions
  • Became widely abused
  • Had limited medical uses
  • No longer commercially produced
  • “Clandestine Labs”
  • Not as potent as cocaine, but effects last longer
  • Smoked or inhaled
  • results in violent and destructive behavior
  • can cause acute psychosis
24
Q

Hallucinogens

A
  • Used to significantly affect a user’s mental state
25
Q

Drugs that cause hallucinations

A
Marijuana 
PCP
LSD
Mushrooms
MDA/MDMA (Ecstasy)
Bath Salts
26
Q

Marijuana

A

Cannabis sativa
- resin contains connabionoids with hallucinogenic properties

  • Cannabinol
  • Cannabidiol
  • Delta 9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

Hashish
Hash oil

27
Q

Phencyclidine - PCP

A
  • Angel dust
  • Made in clandestine laboratories
  • Simple chemicals
  • Aggression, unpleasant hallucinations
  • Used in conjunction with cigarettes, herbs, and marijuana
  • Has strong chemical smell
28
Q

LSD

A
  • Lysergic Acid Diethylamide
  • Small doses cause long and unpleasant hallucinations
  • Dosage is 30-50 ug = 1000x<does required for other drugs to take effect
  • Users may experience hallucinations long after drug has been taken
29
Q

Mushrooms

A
  • From genus Psilocybe
  • Psilocin and Psilocibin are active ingredients
  • Spores are not illegal because they do not contain the active ingredients
30
Q

Bath salts

A
  • “new” to market
  • cause psychosis
  • stories of people running around naked, extremely aggressive
  • Packaged and sold as regular bath salts
31
Q

Depressants, Hypnotics, and Tranquilizers

A
  • Depress the CNS

- Tranquilizers relieve anxiety (alcohol, valium, rohypnol “roofies”)

32
Q

Club drugs

A

groups of drugs associated with raves, clubs, parties, etc.

  • Ecstasy
  • GHB
  • Ketamine: animal tranquilizer

All are used in drug facilitated sexual assaults

33
Q

Ecstasy

A

MDMA

  • legal until mid 1980’s
  • Patented in 1914
  • No use until 1950s
  • 1970s: Psychotherapists used for traumatized patients
  • Recreational use began in 1980s in Texas
  • 5/1/1985: DEA announces intent to add MDMA as Schedule I drug
34
Q

Performance Enhancing Drugs

A

New concern to law enforcement

35
Q

Anabolic Steroids

A
  • used for rapid muscle building when used in conjunction with vigorous physical training
  • promote cell growth and division which result in the growth of muscle tissue and sometimes bone size and strength
36
Q

Controlled substance

A

a drug named in federal or state controlled substance statutes as illegal to possess other than when prescribed by a physician

37
Q

Title 21 United States Code Controlled Substances Act (CSA)

A
  • Classifies drugs into 5 schedules

- Scheduling is based on currently accepted medical use in the United States and potential for abuse

38
Q

Schedule I

A
  • high potential for abuse
  • no current accepted medical use in the US
  • Lack accepted safety for use in medicine

Drugs include:

  • heroin
  • marijuana
  • LSD
  • Methaqualone
39
Q

Schedule II

A
  • High potential for abuse
  • Current accepted medical use in the US with severe restrictions
  • Potential for severe psychological or physical dependence

Drugs include:

  • Opium and its derivatives not listened under Schedule I
  • Cocaine
  • Methadone
  • PCP
  • Dronabinol (synthetic THC)
40
Q

Schedule III

A
  • less potential for abuse vs. I and II
  • Currently accepted medical use in US
  • Potential for low/moderate physical dependence and high psychological dependence

Drugs include:

  • Some codeine preparations
  • Barbiturate preparations (except those listed in Schedule II)
  • Anabolic steroids
41
Q

Schedule IV

A
  • Low potential for abuse, less than ill
  • current accepted medical use in the US
  • Limited dependence potential

Drugs include:

  • darvon
  • phenobarbitol
  • tranquilizers like librium and valium
42
Q

Schedule V

A
  • low potential for abuse
  • current accepted medical use in the US
  • less potential for dependence vs. Schedule IV drugs

Drugs include:
- drug mixtures containing nonnarcotic medicinal ingredients, or mixtures that contain a drug from a previous schedule but in a very small amount.

43
Q

What is the first step in processing a crime scene/evidence?

A

Recognition

44
Q

What is the second stop in processing a crime scene/evidence?

A

Documentation

45
Q

Packaging depends on the state of the material present:

A

Loose or packaged:

  • collect entire container
  • loose material: choose container that will now allow loss of material
46
Q

Drug analysis begins with:

A

presumptive/screening tests

47
Q

Drug Presumptive Tests

A
  • Usually colored tests
  • Positive results indicate possible but not certain presence of drugs
  • May be done on scene or in lab