Types of Drugs

Types of Drugs

A drug is a chemical that affects the processes of the body or mind. The drug unit in a forensic lab is charged with the task of identifying controlled substances that are seized by law enforcement officers by conducting a series of tests and observations. Toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms including the symptoms, mechanisms, treatments and detection of drugs and poisons. The toxicology unit tests biological fluids and tissues to determine the presence and concentration of drugs and alcohol. The forensic toxicologist must sift through all the possible drugs and poisons to determine which, if any, may be present in any body fluids and/or organ samples submitted. Once a toxin is identified, the toxicologist must determine if the substance could have reacted with any other substances and what level of exposure would be lethal. One of the biggest challenges is the understanding that because of metabolism, a substance that enters the body in one form will likely exit in a different form. Together these two units process a good portion of all the evidence that passes through a crime lab. Some states estimate as much as 70% of the work completed in their chemistry unit is drug related. Furthermore, the number of drug related cases are increasing annually and drug offenders now make up more than half of all federal prisoners. Legal drugs can be prescription or sold over the counter. Prescription drugs can be dispensed to the public only with an order given by a properly authorized person such as a doctor. The designation of a medication as a prescription drug is made by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Over the Counter drugs, also known as "OTC", are medicines sold directly to a consumer without a prescription from a healthcare professional. An illicit drug is a drug that is manufactured and/or distributed illegally. Some illicit drugs do have some legal medical uses, but they are severely restricted and monitored by strict prescription guidelines.

Types of Drugs Informational Interactivity

View the interactive presentation below to learn more about the different types of drugs. Be sure to push all buttons to see the material. This material is important to your understanding of this module, so take notes and revisit the different slides as often as necessary. You will also find a printable document located in the sidebar.

  

Georgia Virtual, Forensic Toxicology, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0