Drugs of Abuse Flashcards
(46 cards)
1
Q
definition
A
a substance that has a physiological effect the ingested or otherwise introduced to the body
2
Q
why have people used drugs
A
- peyote- religious or spiritual reasons
- coca leaf and khat- enhance and endurance
- opium- for healing and spiritual purposes
- coffee- to stay awake during rituals
- tea - for medicinal purposes
3
Q
why do people do drugs today
A
- to feel good and to have novel; feelings, sensations experiences and to share them
- to feel better and to lessen: anxiety, worries, fears, depression, hopelessness
4
Q
drugs today
A
- cocaine and crack cocaine
- heroin
- alcohol
- mushrooms
- barbiturates
- cannabis
- tobacco
- anabolic steroids
- GHB
5
Q
drugs in the uk
A
- there are over 100,000 arrests in the UK for drug offences, again mainly involving cannabis
- doa is an increasing problem
- 49% of under 30s report having used a drug (16% within the last month)
- the highest adult prevalence is in the 16-19 year age group- 31% using drugs on a regular basis
- male users outstrip female users by 2:1
- unskilled workers abuse drugs more than other social classes and chose more dangerous routes of administration
- the highest prevalence is found among the unemployed- 40% report drug use within the last year, 48% of male prisoners use drugs whilst in prison
6
Q
history of drug legislation
A
today: governments co-operate in the fight against illicit drugs trade
- 1912 international opium convention
committed countries to stopping the trade in opium , morphine and cocaine
Driving force: USA
UK more reluctant due to opium trade
7
Q
Advisory council on the misuse of drugs
A
- 1971- misuse of drugs act
Introduced classes A, B and C of drugs - the misuse of drugs act came into force in 1973 introduced the concept of the ‘controlled drug’, which are defined as substances listed in schedule 2 of the act
8
Q
outline of the UK drug legislation
A
- established under the terms of the misuse of drugs act 1971
- ‘harmful effects sufficient to constitute a social problem
9
Q
the misuse of drugs act
A
- prohibits the possession with intent to supply and production of certain controlled substances (with exception of opium)
- most arrests under terms of this act are for possession of relatively small amounts of a controlled drug (usually cannabis)
10
Q
new synthetic drugs (NSD)
A
definition- those substances that had little or no therapeutic values and were not already under international control, but had a potential for abuse similar to those substances listed in schedules I and II of the United Nations convention on psychotropic substances 1971
- in 1997 the council of the European Union adopted a join action on NSDs
- part of a focus on the rise in designer drugs most of which were phenethylamines
11
Q
international law
A
- three United Nations treaties
- the single convention on narcotic drugs 1961
- the convention of psychotropic substances 1971
- the convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and pyschotropic substances 1988
- these treaties are implemented in domestic law (i.e the misuse of drugs act 1971)
12
Q
psychoactive substance act 2016
A
- it makes it an offence to produce, supply, offer to supple, possess with intent to supple, possess on custodial premises, import or export psychoactive substances. Any substance intended for human consumption that is capable of producing a psychoactive effect
the maximum sentence will be 7 years imprisonment - it excludes legitimate substances, such as food, alcohol, tobacco, nicotine, caffeine and medical produces form the scope of the offence
controlled drugs, which continue to be regulated by the misuse of drugs act 1971s
13
Q
drugs information
A
- analysis of samples submitted to a forensic laboratory, has to establish:
- whether it is a controlled sample or other poison
- qualitative analysis- determining the identity of the sample
- quantitative analysis- determining the concentration and or amount
14
Q
drug examinations
A
- forensic laboratories conduct drugs examinations on
Bulk- sample large enough to be weighed
Trace- sample so small cannot determine weight
methods used determine the:chemical, physical, and or biochemical properties - laboratory area is de-contaminated first
- case notes are made on packaging and label details
- physical characteristics then described
- photography used as record
- microscopy could also be used for certain samples
15
Q
presumptive tests
A
- bulk samples then undergo presumptive tests using many different colour based chemical reagents
calorimetric assay use reagents that undergo measurable colour change in the presence analyte - marquis test- formaldehyde and sulphuric acid
opiates and amphetamines - Scott test cobalt thiocyanate (chloroform and hydrochloric acid)
16
Q
presumptive tests
A
- quick and easy to do but not specific
- impurities and contaminates may impact colour development
- presumptive tests do not identify a drug- they only suggest
17
Q
Thin layer chromatography
A
- so tlc used for both bulk and trace samples
- tlc separates out all compound- then to confirmatory tests
18
Q
immunoassays
A
- immunoassays used with poison such as paraquat
- these are specific and sensitive and for trace or bulk
19
Q
confirmatory tests
A
- drugs scientists use 3 types of analytical instrument techniques
- chromatographic, spectroscopy and hyphenated techniques
- GC or high performance liquid chromatography- used for organic samples trace level
- infrared spectroscopy- measures IR radiation of drug compared with standard
- GC-MS
- HPLC-MS
- GC- FTIR (gas chromatographic Fourier transform infrared)
- All separates analyses and are able to identify known compounds and impurities
20
Q
importance of drug tests
A
- a company or school has a responsibility for the health, welfare and safety of its employees/students
- by undertaking random tests, it can maintain an anti-drugs company or school or sporting governing body policy
- a positive result usually means a disciplinary or even dismissal at work
- also, criminal prosecutions
21
Q
samples for testing
A
post mortem- - urine - blood - saliva - hair - liver - brain - bile ante mortem - urine - blood - saliva - hair - sweat
22
Q
sample collection- urine
A
- mostly used for drug screening
- also collected in post mortem investigations since some toxins show in high levels in urine
- sample is checked for adulteration by checking the pH creatine, specific gravity and for any unusual; colour or smell
- poor correlation between drug concentration in urine and drug effects
23
Q
sample collection - saliva
A
- often used for drug screening
- easy to collect
- simple matrix - little interference
- indicative of recent drug use
- many different drugs can be determined
24
Q
sample collection- blood
A
- the most satisfactory method for obtaining samples is from venous puncture of the femoral vein (invasive)
- post mortem blood specimen are taken from two sites: hear and peripheral (femoral vein) should be collect at every autopsy
- high correlation between blood concentration and effects of the drug
- whole blood, plasma and serum
25
toxicology lab examination
samples submitted to the laboratory are examined with the use of:
- technical equipment
- chemical reagents
- test kits
- all are time consuming
26
drink driving
- UK limit
| - 35 micrograms breathalyser reading 100ml
27
ratios: breath to blood
- constant- breath to blood ratio of alcohol 1:2,300
28
what is a unit
- convenient to consider consumption in terms of units of alcohol
1 unit- one standard drink = 10ml (8g) of pure ethanol
- one unit = half a pint, a glass of table wine , a glass of sherry or a single measure of spirits
29
back estimation
- establish the blood alcohol concentration at some time after drinking
30
types of drugs
natural- can be found naturally occurring in certain plant and fungal species
semi-synthetic- starts off from a natural source but is then chemically altered or extracted
synthetic- manufactured in a laboratory from chemicals
medically diverted- come from legitimate sources but end up sold on the illicit drug market
31
functional classifications of drugs
- opiates- e.g. heroin, morphine
- depressants- e.g. alcohol, barbiturates
- tranquillisers- e.g. valium, diazepam
- stimulants- e.g. cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamines
- hallucinogens- e.g. magic mushrooms, lsd
- others- e.g. nicotine, cannabis, volatile stimulants
32
heroin
- developed as a substitution for morphine because morphine was found to be highly addictive
- heroin is derived from opiate alkaloids produced by field poppy- paper somnerfum
- heroin produced by isolating morphine from opium then reacted with acetylating agent
- active component is diamorphine
- may be diluted with cutting agents
- pure heroin is white but usable seen as brownish powder with acidic type odour
- heroin is a class a opiate and can be labelled as a depressant
- addiction can occur on first use
- smoked, injected and snorted
- orally taken methadone used as heroin replacement
- methadone (heroin replacement also class a)
- presumptive test reactions- marquis purple, mandolin red/brown
33
cocaine
- one of many alkaloids produce in leaves of coca plant
- cocaine is officially benzoylmethylecgonine
- cocaine can be in white powder salt form (cocaine hydrochloride) or cream waxy hard blocks (crack cocaine)- with a bitter odour
- cocaine is a class a stimulant
- can be snorted (powder form), smoked 'freebase' or injected (crack form)
- presumptive test reactions- mandelin- orange and cobalt thiocyanate- blue
34
LSD
- LSD is officially lysergic acid diethylamide
- class a hallucinogen
- paste made, spread onto sheets, sold as tabs. taken on tongue or in liquid form is swallowed
- presumptive test reactions- Ehrlich- blue/violet
35
Magic Mushrooms
- class a hallucinogen
- main constituents are- psilocybin or psilocin
- often eaten raw, or dried and put in tea
- 2 main types; liberty cap (tan mushrooms with thin stalks) and fly agaric (red and white spotted toadstools
- presumptive tests- marquis- green/brown
36
ecstasy
- MDMA
- white crystalline powder then made into and sold as tablets
- swallowed can be crushed so snorted or dabbed onto gums
- purity of pills may vary as other drugs may be present or random constituents, talcum powder, caffeine, ibroprufen
- class a synthetic amphetamine stimulant
- presumptive test reaction- marquis- strong blue- black
37
amphetamines
- class a drug when prepared for injection
- class b drugs in powder form
- many sub groups (MDA, MDMA, amphetamine, methamphetamine
- synthesised and plant derived from precursors isosafrol and safrole
- off white or pinkish powder crystals
- presumptive test reactions- marquis- orange/brown or green, Madeline - green, Simon- red/brown
38
methamphetamine
- also known as crystal meth
- crystalline substance
- smoked or injected
- powerful and highly addictive
- drastic appearance change in users
- class a amphetamine stimulant
39
cannabis
- trichomes secret a resin which contains over 60 psychoactive compounds, termed cannabinoids
- most important is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
- lipophilic, but binds to serum proteins
- most widely abused illicit substance in the UK
- desired effects- initially elation and merriment, later relaxation, disinhibition and sociability
- high doses cause profound hallucinations
40
presumptive test- cannabis
- cannabidiol- orange colour when treated fast blue
- cannabinol- violey
- delta9-THC- gives a red colour
41
Gamma- hydroxybutryic acid (GHB)
- naturally occurring neurotransmitter- also used as a psychoactive drug
- previously used as a general anaesthetics- also treatment for cataplexy, narcolepsy and alcoholism
effects
- central nervous system depressant
- anecdotally the rush is similar to alcohol
- low doses- nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, agitation, visual disturbances, depressed breathing, amnesia, unconsciousness and death
42
'legal highs'
- BZP was first trialled as a worming treatment but caused fits in animals
- GBL is an industrial cleaner used to strip pain and remove graffiti, when ingested forms GHB
- spice is a powerful herbal smoking mixture imported from china that gives a cannabis like effect
- banned in 2009 together with anabolic steriods
43
barbiturates
- derived from barbituric acid
- class b depressant
- only licensed form is thiopental and Phenobarbital
- usually in form of tablets or capsules
- presumptive test reactions- dille- koppanyi- light purple
44
tranquilizers
- tranquillisers are the common name for benzodiazepines
- class c categorised
- manufactured legally as prescription drugs
- used as anti- convulsants, hypnotics& tranquillisers
- used orally but can be dissolved and injected
45
anabolic steroids
- synthetic compounds
- chemically similar to male hormone testosterone
- available as liquid form by injection may be variations in active ingredient levels
- class c category- only to be sold by pharmacists
- legal to possess for personal use only, illegal to supply
- known as roads or juice
46
volatile substances
- volatile substances are those used in substance abuse- aerosols, solvents, glue, gases
- propane and butane gases, paint thinners
- can be administered by inhalation from bag or from fabric or sprayed directly into throat
- causes physical dependence especially in adolescents
- intoxicating substances supply act 1985- makes it illegal for anyone under age of 18 to be sold or supplied with such items
