Drugs of Abuse

A drug is any substance

that produces
physiological or
DRUG psychological change
within a short period of
time after ingestion
 CNS Depressants
Ethanol = All alcoholic beverages
Benzodiazepines= Alprazolam, diazepam, flunitrazepam,
oxazepam, temazepam, triazolam
Opiates =Morphine, heroin, codeine, fentanyl, methadone,
oxycodone, meperidine
Marijuana = Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
Drugs with Barbiturates = Phenobarbital, secobarbital, thiopental

Abuse CNS Stimulants

Potential Cocaine= Crack, free base, cocaine (HCL)
Amphetamines = Amphetamine, methamphetamine,
methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA),
methyldioyamphetamine (MDA)

Other Psychoactive Classes

Hallucinogens= LSD, psilocybin, mescaline
Dissociative anesthetics = PCP, ketamine, dextromethorphan
Inhalants =Volatile solvents, aerosols, gases, propellants
 1.Hallucinogens (psychedellic
drugs)
Drug Changes normal thought processes, perceptions
and moodsDesired
Classificatio Effects Include:
Hallucinations (visual or auditory)
n According Super strength in some casesUndesirable
to Side Effects
Amnesia
Pharmacolo Depression
gy (4 Types) AnxietyPsychosis
Examples:
Marijuana, LSD, PCP, Ecstasy (MDMA), Ketamine
Drug 2. Stimulants (Uppers)
Classificatio Act on the central nervous system to
n According increase energy and/or alertness while
suppressing appetite and fatigue.
to Desired Effects Include:
Pharmacolo Mental alertness
gy (4 Types) Increased energy
Undesirable SideEffects
RestlessnessAnxietySudden Death
Examples: Caffeine, amphetamine,
methamphetamines, cocaine, nicotine
 3. Narcotics (analgesics)
Drug Act on pain centers in the central
Classification nervous systemSynthetic narcotics are known
According to as opiates
Desired Effects Include:
Pharmacolog Pain relief
y (4 Types) Anxiety relief
Undesirable Side Effects
Death Serum hepatitis
Examples: aspirin, Tylenol, Motrin,
opium, heroin, codeine, methadone,
propoxyphene, oxycodon, fentanyl
 4. Depressants (Downers)
sometimes referred to as sedatives and
Drug tranquilizers, are substances that can slow
brain activity.
Classification Desired Effects Include:
According to Anxiety relief
Pharmacolog Relaxation
Undesirable Side Effects
y (4 Types) Depression
Chronic Fatigue
Anxiety
Examples: alcohol, barbiturates,
quaaludes, valium
 Alcohol/Ethanol (CH3CH2OH) is probably one of the oldest drugs
used by humans and it remains the most commonly consumed
drug in most Western societies.

Alcohol is also a depressant (CNS depressant),

in low dose = it can reduce tension, cause euphoria, and
improve sociability
in high dose = it can cause stupor, drunkenness, and even
Alcohol death.
(Ethanol) CNS depression is directly linked to a person’s blood alcohol
concentration (BAC):
As BAC rises, so does the degree of CNS depression.

Ethanol is a product of fermentation by the action of yeast cells on

sugars found in fruits and grains. The content of alcoholic
beverages varies for different types of drinks. Ethanol is a clear,
volatile liquid that is soluble in water and has a characteristic taste
and odor.
 a low consumption does not result in observable
effects but increasing amounts of alcohol lead to
increasingly severe symptoms including
incoordination and unconsciousness, and sometimes
even death.
Alcohol
(Ethanol) % alcohol in blood Observed effect
0.05 Stimulant, social relaxation
>0.1 Incoordination
0.3 Unconsciousness
0.4 Possible lethal level
 Alcohol Breath Testers
.Many types of breath testers are designed to
capture a set volume of breath.
Captured breath is exposed to IR light.
It’s the degree of the interaction of the light
with alcohol in the captured breath sample that
allows the instrument to measure a blood alc.
Alcohol conc. in breath.
(Ethanol) Tests for alcohol intoxication
considered reliable and effective
psychophysical tests.
1. The horizontal gaze nystagmus test,
2.walk and turn, and the
3. one-leg stand
 Cocaine is a strongly addictive stimulant that has its effect on
the brain.

Cocaine is derived from the leaf of the Erythroxylon coca bush,

which grows primarily in the Andean mountains in South
America.

Cocaine is a Schedule II drug, meaning that it has some

cocaine medicinal value but also a high potential for abuse.
 Drugs, substances, and certain chemicals used
Drug to make drugs are classified into five (5) distinct
Schedules categories or schedules depending upon the drug’s
acceptable medical use and the drug’s abuse or
dependency potential.
The abuse rate is a determinate factor in the
scheduling of the drug
 Schedule I
Schedule I drugs, substances, or
Drug chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently
Schedules accepted medical use and a high potential for
abuse.
Some examples of Schedule I drugs are:
heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide
(LSD), marijuana (cannabis), 3,4-
methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy),
methaqualone, and peyote
 Schedule II
drugs with a high potential for abuse
with use potentially leading to severe
psychological or physical dependence.
These drugs are also considered
Drug dangerous.
examples of Schedule II drugs are:
Schedules combination products with less than 15
milligrams of hydrocodone per dosage unit (Vicodin),
cocaine,
methamphetamine, methadone,
hydromorphone (Dilaudid), meperidine (Demerol),
oxycodone (OxyContin), fentanyl, Dexedrine,
Adderall, and Ritalin
 Schedule III
defined as drugs with a moderate to low
potential for physical and psychological dependence.
Schedule III drugs abuse potential is less

Drug than Schedule I and Schedule II drugs but more

than Schedule IV.
Schedules examples :
products containing less than 90
milligrams of codeine per dosage unit (Tylenol with
codeine),
ketamine,
anabolic steroids,
testosterone
 Schedule IV
drugs with a low potential for
abuse
low risk of dependence.

Drug examples are:

Xanax,
Schedules Soma,
Darvon, Darvocet,
Valium, Ativan, Talwin,
Ambien,
Tramadol
 Schedule V
defined as drugs with lower potential for
abuse than Schedule IV
consist of preparations containing limited
quantities of certain narcotics
Drug generally used for antidiarrheal,
antitussive, and analgesic purposes.
Schedules examples are:
cough preparations with less than 200
milligrams of codeine or per 100 milliliters
(Robitussin AC),
Lomotil, Motofen,
Lyrica, Parepectolin
 
 The challenge or difficulty of forensic
drug identification comes in selecting
analytical procedures that will ensure a
specific identification of a drug.
the scheme of analysis, is divided
into two phases.
Drug
Identificatio Screening test that is
nonspecific and preliminary in nature to
n reduce the possibilities to a manageable
number.
Confirmation test that is a
single test that specifically identifies a
substance.
 A screening test is normally
employed to provide the analyst with
quick insight into the likelihood that a
specimen contains a drug substance.
Positive results arising from a
Screening screening test are considered to be
tentative at best and must be verified
Tests with a confirmation test.
 Physical Tests: boiling point, melting point,
density, and refractive index
Crystal Tests: treatment with a chemical
Types of reagent to produce crystals
Toxicologist
Chemical Spot Tests: treatment with a chemical
Tests reagent to produce color changes
Screening Chromatography (thin-layer or gas): used to
Tests separate components of a mixture
  Gas chromatography/mass
spectrometry GC/MS
is generally accepted as the
confirmation test of choice.
The GC separates the sample into its
Confirmator components, while the MS represents a
y Tests unique “fingerprint” pattern that can be
used for identification.
Once the drug is extracted and
identified, the toxicologist may be
required to provide an opinion on the
drug’s effect on an individual’s natural
performance or physical state.