Seized Drugs Flashcards
(39 cards)
What is a controlled substance?
A compound regulated under the Controlled Substances Act due to potential for abuse or dependency.
What are the four main categories of drugs?
Unregulated, over-the-counter (OTC), prescription, and controlled substances.
What’s the key difference between prescription and controlled drugs?
Prescription drugs are FDA-regulated; controlled drugs are scheduled by the DEA based on abuse potential.
What schedules contain drugs with high abuse potential?
Schedule I and Schedule II
What are examples of Schedule I drugs?
Heroin, LSD, MDMA
What makes a Schedule II drug different from Schedule I?
Schedule II drugs have medical use (e.g., cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine)
What law defined the 5 controlled substance schedules?
The 1970 Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act
What is a drug analogue under the Federal Analogue Act of 1986?
A substance structurally and pharmacologically similar to a Schedule I/II drug
What is the primary cause of the opioid crisis in the U.S.?
Illicit fentanyl
What are typical U.S.-manufactured illicit drugs?
Methamphetamine, GHB, MDMA, marijuana (grow houses)
What is a clandestine laboratory?
An illegal operation used to manufacture controlled substances using chemical processes
What is the “shake and bake” method of meth production?
A one-pot method using pseudoephedrine and household chemicals in a plastic bottle
What are three primary drug smuggling concealment techniques?
Visual disguise, odor masking, and x-ray evasion
Name three field detection methods for drugs.
Raman spectroscopy, IMS, colorimetric kits
What is the key advantage of handheld Raman spectroscopy?
It’s non-destructive, non-contact, and selective with rapid detection
What does IMS (Ion Mobility Spectrometry) detect?
Charged particles separated by size, mass, and charge to identify drug residues
Why are canines considered the gold standard for detection?
High sensitivity, mobility, and odor discrimination
What are presumptive tests?
Field tests (e.g., color, TLC) that suggest the presence of a drug but are not confirmatory
What are confirmatory methods recommended by OSAC?
Two methods (A + A/B/C), or three (two B + one C), with at least one reviewable technique
What presumptive tests are commonly used for heroin?
Marquis, Mecke, TLC with UV, color tests
What is a confirmatory technique for heroin?
GC-MS, IR, HPLC
What is the purpose of Mayer’s reagent?
Indicates alkaloids like morphine and heroin via white precipitate
How does Marquis reagent distinguish opiates vs amphetamines?
Opiates = violet; Amphetamines = purple to black
What is GC-MS preferred for analyzing cannabinoids?
It provides compound-specific identification, though cannabinoids require derivatization due to heat lability
