Chapter 5
In what class of drugs do alcohol and barbiturates belong?
Depressants
Name club drugs belonging to three different classes of drugs, and indicate the class to which each belongs.
GHB & Rohyponol (depressants); MDMA/Ecstasy (hallucinogen); Methamphetamine (stimulant)
What is a hallucinogen?
Hallucinogens are drugs that cause marked alteration in thought processes, perceptions, and moods.
Name three distinct advantages of gas chromatography in the identification of drugs.
It can resolve a highly complex mixture into its components within a brief time period; it is extremely sensitive; it an yield quantitative results
Why is a chromatography particularly well suited to the needs of a drug analyst?
It can separate unknown mixtures into their components.
How is crack produced?
It is produced by mixing cocaine with baking soda and water and then heating the resulting solution. This material is then dried and broken into tiny chunks that dealers sell as crack "rocks."
What is the most widely used illicit drug used in the United States?
Marijuana
Name three commonly used hallucinogens.
Marijuana; LSD; PCP; MDMA (Ecstasy)
With what analytical device is a gas chromatograph often connected to analyze drug mixtures, and why?
Mass spectrometer; to analyze drug mixtures because the mass spectrometer can positively identify the substances separated from a mixture by a gas chromatograph.
Describe the purpose for which Methadone typically is used.
Methadone is used to eliminate an addicts desire for heroin while producing minimal side effects.
Name two synthetic opiates.
Methadone; OxyContin
Name two popular drugs prepared from this substance.
Morphine; heroin; codeine
Describe the purpose for which OxyContin is typically used.
OxyContin is used to treat chronic pain.
Define physical dependence.
Physiological need for a drug brought about by its regular use and characterized by withdrawal sickness when administration of the drug is abruptly stopped.
List three potential medical uses of marijuana.
Reduction of eye pressure in glaucoma; lessening of nausea caused by anticancer drugs; muscle relaxant
Arrange the following parts or products of the 'Cannabis' plant in order of THC content(highest to lowest concentration): Flowers, leaves, resin, seeds, stem.
Resin, flowers, leaves, stem, seeds
What are the two phases in a forensic scientist's analytical scheme?
Screening & confirmation
What is the main drawback of gas chromatography in the identification of drugs?
Several substances may have comparable retention times under similar chromatographic conditions. Thus, gas chromatography cannot be considered an absolute means of identification.
How are speed and ice typically taken?
Speed is injected; ice is smoked.
What phenomenon forms the basis of spectrophotometry?
Substances can absorb invisible electromagnetic radiation.
What is the pharmacological definition of a narcotic?
Substances that relieve pain and produce sleep.
What are anabolic steroids?
Synthetic compounds that are chemically related to the male sex hormone testosterone.
What is the active ingredient in marijuana.
Tetrahyrocannibanol (THC)
Define psychological dependence.
The conditioned use of a drug caused by underlying emotional needs.
What is the most important factor to consider when evaluating the social impact of drug dependence on an individual?
The extent to which drug use has become interwoven on the fabric of the user's life.
How has drug use affected the growth of crime laboratories in the United States?
The increasing caseloads associated with drug evidence have justified the expansion of forensic laboratory services.
Name three non-drug factors that play in drug dependence.
The personal characteristics of the user~ his/her expectations about the drug experience, society's attitudes and possible responses~the setting in which the drug is used.
What is huffing?
The practice of inhaling substances containing volatile solvents, such as glue or toluene.
What is the source of most narcotic analgesics?
The source of most narcotic analgesic is opium.
What are the negative consequences of long-term use?
The user may experience psychotic reactions days after drug use is discontinued.
Why are color tests & microcrystalline tests referred to as empirical?
They are referred to as empirical because, although the tests are accurate, scientists don't understand why such tests produce their results.
What is the main physiological effect of alcohol and barbiturates (depressants)?
To depress the central nervous system.
Why were anabolic steroids developed?
To promote muscle growth while avoiding the androgenic effects of testosterone.
What is the main advantage of infrared spectrophotometry over ultraviolet or visible-light spectrophotometry?
Ultraviolet and visible-light spectrophotometry cannot definitely identify a particular substance because several substances may have similar UV or visible-light absorption spectra. By contrast, different substances have unique infrared spectra, so infrared spectrophotometry can provide definite identification of any substance.
Physical dependence develops only when the drug user
Uses drug on a regular schedule.
In chromatography, the distribution of a gas between the liquid and gas phases is determined by:
the solubility of he gas in the liquid.
Name two potent forms of methamphetamine.
"Speed"; "ice"
What is a stimulant?
A drug that stimulates, or increases the activity of, the central nervous system.
What is angel dust?
A mixture of PCP with other drugs such as LCD or amphetamines. (Sniffed, smoked, ingested)
What is a drug?
A natural or synthetic substance that is used to produce physiological or psychological effects in humans or other animals.
What is crack?
A particularly potent form of cocaine.
What is the difference between a qualitative evaluation and a quantitative evaluation?
A qualitative evaluation reveals the identity of a substance, while a quantitative analysis determines the percentage combination of the components of a mixture.
What is the difference between a screening test and a confirmation test?
A screening test is used to reduce the possible number of substances in an unknown sample to a small and manageable number. A confirmation test is used to identify the presence of a specific substance in an unknown sample.
What is the most widely abused drug in the United States?
Alcohol
Name two widely used stimulants.
Amphetamines; methamphetamine; cocaine
Explain how chromatography is like a race between chemical compounds.
Chromatography is analogous to a race between chemical compounds because at the start, all of the participating substances are mixed together, but as the process progresses, the materials that prefer the moving phase slowly pull ahead of the substances that prefer to remain in the stationary phase . Finally, at the end of the race, all he participants are separated, each crossing the finish line at different times.
What popular stimulant is derived from a plant that grows in the Andes mountains of South America?
Cocaine
Name two types of empirical tests used to identify drugs.
Color tests & microcrystalline tests
