Dangerous

Drugs
Alcantara,ShaneMarcus A
Bautista, Justine John
Salvador, John Mark
Terible, Jerome
Definition
DRUG is a substance that, when ingested, is capable
of inducing physiological change. (Suzanne Bell,
2005)
DRUG DEPENDENCY - Cluster of physiological,
behavioral and cognitive phenomena in which use of
a drug resulting a strong desire and difficultly of
controlling it.

Characteristics
a. Physical dependence is the body's physical system
changes until the body needs that particular drug in
order to function.
b. Mental or Psychological dependence is a need of
drug in order to feel good, to get b y or feel normal
 DRUG ABUSE - Any non-medical use of drugs that can cause physical,
psychological, legal, economic, or social damage to the user or to people affected
by user's behavior.
DANGEROUS DRUGS - A substance affecting the central nervous system (CNS)
which when taken into the human body brings about physical, emotional or
behavioral changes in a person taking it.
DESIGNER DRUGS - Combination of effects and chemically related but different
effect to known narcotic
and psychotropic substances
HABITUATION - the psychological desire to repeat the use of drug intermittently
or continuously because
of emotional reasons
ADDICTION - physical dependence of the user on the drug
PHYSICAL ADDICTION - biochemical or physiological change caused by repeated
use of the substance.
 DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN A DRUG
AND A MEDICINE
DRUG is a substance that, when ingested, is capable of inducing
physiological change. It is used to treat or prevent disease, to
alleviate pain, to promote sleep, or to induce other physiological
responses. All drugs are toxic; it is the DOSE that differentiates a
therapeutic drug from a poison.

MEDICINE is a combination of drugs and inert ingredients. The

term drug and medicine are often used interchangeably.
Example: Aspirin is a drug, but if it is a part of a preparation used
t teat a cold or flue, that preparation is called a medicine.
CLASSIFICATION
AND CATEGORIES
OF DRUGS
 A. BY ORIGIN
AND
FUNCTION
1. Natural Products
Active ingredients, secondary metabolic products of
plants and other living systems that may be isolated by
extraction.
Examples: Raw opium, Marijuana, Coca Bush, Opiates,
Psilocybin, Mescaline
 2. Semi- Synthetic
prepared chemically from a naturally occurring
substance
Examples: Heroin, Hormones, Steroids, LSD

3.Synthetic
are artificially produced substances, synthesized in the
laboratory for the illicit market, which are almost wholly
manufactured from the chemical compounds in illicit
laboratories
Examples: Diazepam, Amphetamines, Barbiturates, Moperidino,
Methadone, Moscaline
 B. BY
GENERAL
1. STIMULANTS - Uppers* EFFECT
Stimulates functions of the Central Nervous System (CNS),
induces alertness with sleep
In high doses, many stimulants are hallucinogenic.
These are drugs which increase alertness of physical
disposition.
Examples: Methamphetamine hydrochloride, Amphetamine
Mechanism of Action: Vary widely, Cocaine can block the
absorption of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, leading
to generalized stimulation and potential hallucinogenic
responses.
2. DEPRESSANTS - "Downers®
depress or lower the functions of the Central nervous System generally resulting in
a slowed heartbeat, a reduction in anxiety and in some cases, the promotion of
sleep.
Examples: Benzodiazepines (Example: Valium), Barbiturates, tranquilizers, sleep
aids, and ethanol
Mechanism of Action: These group of drugs works by interacting with gamma
amino butyric acid
(GABA) receptors in the brain. The GABA receptors are the most common inhibitory
neurotransmitter in the brain and central nervous system. (Benzodiazepines are able to
bind with GABA receptor sites and generate inhibitory response, resulting in the
depression of CNS).
Types of Depressants:
1. Narcotics - induces sleep (hypnotics) or stupor, relieve pain (analgesics).
2. Examples. Opium, Opiates, heroin, morphine
3. Tranquilizers - reduces anxiety, ease tension and relax muscles
4. Sedatives and hypnotics - calm the nerves, reduce tension and induce sleep.
Examples Barbiturates and alcohol
3. HALLUCINOGENS - "Pshychedelics"
are drugs that alter the perception of time and reality.
Movement, thought, perceptions, vision and hearing are also affected.
These are drugs which affects sensation, thinking, self-awareness and emotion
Examples: LSD, Mescaline, and marijuana
4. ANALGESICS
• are drugs that relieve pain
Examples: Aspirin, Ibuprofen and morphine
5. NARCOTICS
have analgesic effects and tend to depress the CNS and promote sleep
Examples: Morphine, Codeine, heroin (Opiate alkaloids)
 C. By Use
1.PREDATOR DRUGS
also known as date-rape drugs and drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) agents
These are used to incapacitate a woman for sexual purposes
Examples: alcohol, ketamine, Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) and gamma hydroxybutyrate
(GHB)
When the drug is mixed in a drink, the effects can range from disorientation to
unconsciousness and loss of short-term memory. Victims may awaken several hours
after an assault with no memory of the event or the few hours leading to it.
Consequently, they may delay seeking treatment until the drug and metabolites are no
longer detectable by traditional toxicological methods.
2. CLUB DRUGS
used at parties and clubs frequented by young people; many are also predator
drugs
Examples: Ecstacy, Methamphetamine, Phencylidine (PCP), LSD, Psilocin
mushrooms
One apparent reason for their popularity is the misconception that the club drugs
are less dangerous than drugs such as cocaine and heroin
3. HUMAN-PERFORMANCE DRUGS
consist of substances that improve or impair ones performance
Examples: Anabolic steroids and alcohol
Anabolic steroids include dozen of drugs, mostly acquired by prescription, based on
testosterone. These drugs are abused by athletes in attempts to increase their muscle
mass and decrease the recovery time after strenuous training and competition.
4. INHALANTS
are substances that are inhaled to produce desired effects
Most inhalants are not intended to be used as drugs. Any substance that has a
volatile component can be used as inhalant
These have depressant effects similar to those of alcohol
Examples: paint thinners, gasoline, nitrous oxide (laughing drugs), gasoline
 D. BY
SCHEDULE
|UNDER RA
DRUGS AS EVIDENCE 9165
FORMS OF DRUG EVIDENCE: The Five 5 P's
Powders - include colored powders from crystalline white to resinous brown.
Examples: shabu, heroin,
Plant materials - are biological evidence, must be stored properly to prevent rotting
and degradation
Examples: marijuana, mushrooms, cactus buttons
Hashish - concentrated form of marijuana, lies between plant and powder
Pills - are prescription medications or clandestinely synthesized tablets.
Precursors - are compounds or materials used in the clandestine synthesis of drugs
such as methamphetamine. Examples: Ephedrine, PCP
Paraphemalia - are the implements and equipment used in the preparation and
ingestion of drugs.
Examples: Syringes, pipes, aluminum foils, straws, tooters
CUTTING AGENTS
• Cutting agents or diluents
are substances that are not drugs and that have no pharmacological properties which
are added to a
target drug evidence to stretch the supply a the dangerous drugs and maximize profits
Examples: baking soda, sugar, cocoa powder, com starch
Adulterants
are active and typically (but not always have effects that are grossly similar to the
target drugs effects. Caffeine added to cocaine is an example in which both the drug
and the adulterant are stimulants
Impurities
are materials found with the drug (if it is a natural product) or added to it inadvertently
during the processing,
TURBO PHARMACOLOGY

Pharmacology - is the study of drugs and medicines.

Two aspects of pharmacology are:
а.Pharmacodynamics - defined as the study of the effects of drugs over time and is concerned with the interaction of a drug with its target.
b.Pharmacokinetics - the forensic application of pharmacology that deals with the study of the movement of a drug and its metabolic
products through the body.
Stages of Drug Movement beginning with Exposure/Ingestion of xenobiotic (a substance that is foreign to the body) are Absorption,
Distribution, Metabolism and Elimination (ADME)
Pharmacology of some drugs:
1. Morphine & heroin act on the central nervous system. The molecule fits into & blocks a specific receptor site (mu site) on a nerve cell
2. action of the receptor site is eliminated
3. Heroin is more fat soluble than morphine & crosses the blood-brain barrier more easily hydrolyzed to morphine in the body
3. THC binds to an unknown receptor in tne brain. It Inhibits the enzyme adenylate cyclase.This enzyme
stimulates the synthesis of adensocine monophosphate which is involved in the amplification of signal within the brain's neurons
4. Cocaine interferes with the normal reuptake of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine, serotonin & dopamine in the nucleus accumbens
(region of the brain that mediates pleasure response). Excess neurotransmitters hyperstimulate nucleus accumbens
Modes of Drug Ingestion
Swallowing (into the stomach)
Injection (into a muscle, tissue under the skin or into a vein)
Inhalation (of liquid or gas - smoke)
Absorption through the skin (dermal, mucous membrane of the nose, through the eyes)
CLANDESTINE LABORATORY
-A clandestine laboratory is any facility used for the illegal manufacture of any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential
chemical.
Types of Clandestine Labs
Extraction lab
- An active ingredient is extracted from natural substances substance or raw materials; the chemical structure of the product is not altered
Examples: THC from MJ using Chloroform, Morphine and opium from plants
Conversion lab
Raw materials or unrefined drug products are changed into finished or refined product.
Examples: crystallization of powdered or liquid products and conversion of morphine to heroine
Synthesis lab
Raw materials are combined in required portions and are reacted to form a new finished drug or substance using the typical laboratory
practices such as heating, cooling, stirring or filtering
Example: reduction of Ephedrine to Methamphetamine
Tableting lab
Final product measured in production dosage unit such as tablet is passed through a machine processor
Example: tableting of MDMA
LABORATORY EXAMINATION OF DRUGS
TYPES OF TESTS:
Screening test: a test that is nonspecific and preliminary in nature Primary function to eliminate some drugs from consideration & indicate
the identity of a drug
Confirmatory test: a single test that specifically identifies a substance
Microcrystalline tests: tests to identify specific substances by the color and morphology of the crystals formed when the substance is mixed
with specific reagents