Forensic Pharmacology

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Forensic Pharmacology Page 12

by B Zedeck


  azepines. At trial, the defense expert testified that the presence

  of benzodiazepines in urine is not indicative of impairment. The

  drug might have been consumed several days prior to the acci-

  dent. The jury found the defendant not guilty.

  What tests would you have done at the time of the accident to

  help establish that the defendant was driving while impaired?

  Answer to Case A: Bloodshot eyes and poor coordination are hall-

  mark signs of marijuana intoxication. The driver may have fin-

  ished smoking marijuana before getting into the car, explaining the

  absence of odor, or may have ingested the marijuana. The level of

  alcohol is too low to account for poor coordination and the failing of

  the field sobriety tests. A urine sample should be collected and tested

  by EMIT and, if positive for cannabinoids, confirmed by GC/MS.

  120 Forensic Pharmacology

  Answer to Case B: The finding of morphine is likely due to poppy

  seed bagels eaten at breakfast, but the level of morphine would be

  too low to exert any effects. Also, slightly elevated vital signs are not consistent with morphine’s effects. The quarterback’s unusual

  behavior before passing out and the nonresponsive stare are typical

  signs of PCP intoxication. Someone may have slipped the drug into

  Team A quarterback’s Gatorade just before the good-luck toast.

  Answer to Case C: Two types of analysis would have been help-

  ful. An analysis of blood would have been a better indicator of

  causality than a urine sample. If benzodiazepines were found in

  the blood, the type of benzodiazepine and its concentration would

  have helped establish whether or not the driver was impaired. An

  examination by a DRE might have revealed any drug-related phys-

  iological effects, and performance of field sobriety tests might have

  indicated impairment.

  Notes

  1.DietrichMilles,“Historyof

  9.MADD,“FatalitiesandAlcohol-

  Toxicology,”Chapter1in Toxicology,

  RelatedFatalities.”http://www.

  11–23.

  madd.org/stats/0,1056,9659_

  2.GaryW.Kunsman,“Human

  print,00.html.

  PerformanceToxicology,”Chapter2

  10.NIDA,“NIDAInfofacts:Drugged

  in Principles of Forensic Toxicology,

  Driving.”http://www.nida.nih.gov/

  13–30;andDavidSandler,“Expert

  Infofacts/driving.html.

  andOpinionTestimony,”Chapter

  11.OfficeofNationalDrugControl

  16in Medical-Legal Aspects of Drugs,

  Policy,“JuvenilesandDrugs.”http://

  399–437.

  www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/

  3. Schedules of Controlled Substances,

  drugfact/juveniles/index.html.

  21USC812.

  12.CaliforniaNORML, CaNORML,

  4.L.D.Johnston,P.M.O’Malley,

  NationalOrganizationforthe

  andJ.G.Bachman,“Trendsin

  ReformofMarijuanaLaws.http://

  AnnualPrevalenceofanIllicit

  www.canorml.org.

  DrugUseIndexAmong8th,10th

  13.NIDA,“GHB.”http://www.nida.nih.

  and12thgraders.”http://www.

  gov/infofacts/rohypnolghb.html.

  monitoringthefuture.org/data/

  14.GaryW.Kunsman,“Human

  04data/fig04_1.pdf.

  PerformanceToxicology,”Chapter2

  5.OfficeofNationalDrugControl

  in Principles of Forensic Toxicology,

  Policy,“JuvenilesandDrugs.”http://

  13–30.

  www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/

  15.AdvisoryCommitteeonHuman

  drugfact/juveniles/index.html.

  RadiationExperiments,PartI,

  6.OfficeofAppliedStudies,“Drug

  Chapter3,“SupremeCourtDissents

  AbuseWarningNetwork,2003:

  InvoketheNurembergCode.”http://

  InterimNationalEstimatesofDrug-

  www.eh.doe.gov/ohre/roadmap/

  RelatedEmergencyDepartment

  achre/Chap3_4.html.

  Visits.”http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/

  16.EricChudler,“Ecstasy-MDMA.”

  dawn/2K3interimED.pdf.

  http://faculty.washington.edu/

  7.SubstanceAbuseandMentalHealth

  chudler/mdma.html;andNIDA,

  DataArchive,“OverallTeenDrug

  “Ecstasy.”http://teens.drugabuse.

  UseContinuesGradualDecline;But

  gov/facts/facts_xtc1.asp.

  UseofInhalantsRises.”http://www.

  17.NIDA,“Inhalants.”http://www.nida.

  monitoringthefuture.org.

  nih.gov/ResearchReports/Inhalants/

  8.AssociatedPress,“Health:Teenager

  Inhalants2.html.

  PrescriptionDrugUse.”http://

  18.NIDAforTeens:FactsonDrugs,

  kyw.com/siteSearch/local_story_

  “Anabolic-AndrogenicSteroids.”

  111162950.html/resources_

  http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/

  storyPrintableView.

  facts_ster1.asp.

  121

  glossary

  Adulterant  Asubstancewithpharmacologicaleffectaddedtoorsubsti-

  tutedforanotheractivedrug.

  Alveoli  Terminalaircellofthelungswheregasesareexchanged.

  Anabolic  Asteroidhormoneresemblingtestosterone,whichstimulates

  thegrowthofmuscletissue.

  Analog  Adrugwhosestructureissimilartothatofanotherdrug.

  Androgenic  Asubstancecausingmasculinization.

  Antibody  Asubstanceproducedbytheimmunesystemthatrecognizes

  andneutralizesforeignsubstancesinthebody.

  Antigen  Asubstancethatstimulatestheproductionofantibodiesand

  bindstoantibodies.

  Ataxia  Lackofcoordinationofvoluntarymuscles;unsteadybalance.

  Blood-brain barrier  Anatomicbarrierpreventingentryofcertainsub-

  stancesfrombloodintotheCNS.

  Cataplexy  Asuddenmuscleweaknessandlossoftonethatcanprevent

  narcolepticsfromachievinganormalsleepcycle.

  Central nervous system (CNS)  Consistsofthebrainandspinalcord.

  Chain-of-custody  Topreventspecimentampering,documentationof

  eachstepfromthepointofcollectiontothereportingoftheresults.

  Club drugs  Drugsusedatravesites.

  CNS  SeeCentralnervoussystem.

  Cross-tolerance  Tolerancetoapharmacologicallysimilardrug;onedrug

  maybesubstitutedforanother.

  Defendant  Apersonagainstwhomanactionisbrought.

  Demethylated  Theremovalofamethyl(CH3)group.

  Designer drug  Anydrugthatiscreatedtobechemicallyandpharma-

  cologicallysimilartoonelistedinSchedulesItoVandregulatedunder

  theCSA.

  Diffusion  Themovementofasubstancefromanareaofhighconcentra-

  tiontoanareaoflowconcentration.

  122

  Glossary

  Diluent  Anagentwithoutpharmacologicaleffectusedtodiluteanactive

  drug.

  Dissociative anesthetic  Adrugthatproducessignificantanalgesiawhile

  thepatientremainsawakeandfeelsremovedfromthesurroundingenvi-

  ronment,wit
houtdepressingvitalsigns.

  Drug  Achemicalthataffectsbiochemicalandphysiologicalprocessesoftis-

  suesororgansandissometimesusedinterchangeablywiththeword chemical.

  Dysphoria  Amoodofgeneraldissatisfaction,restlessness,anxiety,dis-

  comfort,andunhappiness.

  Endoplasmic reticulum  Anetworkofconnectingtubulesinsidethecell.

  Euphoria  Anexaggeratedfeelingofwell-being;mildelation.

  Exhume  Toremoveabodyfromagrave.

  Expert witness  Anindividualthatajudgequalifiestoofferanopinion

  basedonknowledge,skill,experience,training,andeducation,ifthetesti-

  monyisrelevantandreliable.

  Forensic science  Theapplicationofsciencetolegalissues.

  Glucuronide  Awater-solublesubstanceproducedbylinkingglucuronic

  acidtoanothersubstance.

  Half-life  Thetimerequiredbymetabolismoreliminationtoreducethe

  concentrationofachemicalby50%.

  Hallucinogen  Achemicalthatalterssight,sound,smell,taste,andtouch

  senses,anddisturbsperception,thought,andmood.

  In vitro  Inglassware,testswithisolatedtissueorwithcellpreparations.

  In vivo  Inthelivingbody.

  Lipophilic  Lipidloving;affinitytodissolveinfat.

  Metabolite  Aproductofmetabolism.

  Monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI)  Adrugthatinhibitstheenzyme

  monoamineoxidase(MAO),therebyincreasingthelevelofneurotrans-

  mittersanddrugsmetabolizedbyMAO.

  123

  Glossary

  Nystagmus  Involuntaryrotatory,horizontal,orverticalmovementsof

  theeyesmostnoticeablewhengazingatrapidlymovingobjectsoratfixed

  objectsintheperipheralfieldofview.

  Pathology  Studyofthestructuralandfunctionalchangesinthebody

  causedbydisease.

  pH  Hydrogenionconcentration.Itisameasureoftheacidityoralkalinity

  ofasolution.

  Pharmacodynamics  Thestudyofadrug’smechanismsofactiononliv-

  ingorganismstobringaboutphysiologicalandpathologicalchanges.

  Pharmacokinetics  Thestudyofadrug’sabsorption,distribution,metab-

  olism,andexcretion.

  Pharmacologist  Anindividualwhobytrainingandexperienceisaspe-

  cialistinpharmacology.

  Pharmacology  Thestudyofachemical’spharmacokineticsandpharma-

  codynamics,anditstherapeuticandtoxiceffects.

  Physical dependence  Astateinwhichtolerancedevelopstoadrug’s

  effectsandwithdrawalsymptomsappearintheabsenceofdrug.

  Plaintiff  Thecomplainingpartyinanactionatlaw.

  Plasma  Liquidpartofthebloodafterremovingtheredcells,whitecells

  andplatelets.

  Postmortem redistribution  Afterdeath,drugsthatwereconcentrated

  inheartandadjacentorgansmayleakbackoutintotheblood,producing

  abnormallyhighvalues.

  Psychological dependence  Lossofcontrolregardingdruguseeither

  foritspositiveeffectsorinordertoavoidnegativeeffectswhenthedrugis

  unavailable.

  Psychosis  Aseverelossofcontactwithrealityevidencedbydelusions,

  hallucinations,disorganizedspeechpatterns,andbizarreorcatatonic

  behaviors.

  Psychotomimetic  Relatingtoorproducingastateresemblingpsychosis.

  Rave  Apartyheldatalicensedorunlicensedsite(warehouses,fields),with loud,rhythmictechno,jungle,orzenmusicandlaserlighting,andwhich

  mayincludethepresenceofdrugs.

  124

  Glossary

  Recreational drug  Adrugnotusedformedicinalpurposesbutforinduc-

  ingeuphoriaandavoidingproblems.

  Schizophrenia  Amentaldisordermanifestedbydelusions,hallucina-

  tions,anddisorganizedspeechandbehavior.

  Sensitivity  Thesmallestamountofthetargetmoleculethatatestcan

  detect.

  Serum  Liquidpartofthebloodremainingafterclotting.

  Specificity  Abilityofatesttodistinguishbetweenhighlysimilartarget

  molecules.

  Tolerance  Thenecessityoftakingincreasingamountsofasubstanceto

  reachdesiredeffects.

  Toxicologist  Onewhopracticestoxicology.

  Toxicology  Thestudyofachemical’spharmacokineticsandpharmacody-

  namics,anditsadverseortoxiceffects.

  Vitreous humor  Fluidinsidetheeyeballusefulforforensicstudies

  becauseitisnotreadilycontaminated,andtheconcentrationofdrugis

  relativelystable.

  Xenobiotic  Achemicalthatisstrangeorforeigntothebody.

  125

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