READ: Types of Drugs

Significance of Toxicology Results

When discussing toxicology, it is important to understand the significance of drugs and toxicology in an investigation. Drugs, both legal and illegal, are widespread and are often a part of daily life for many people. By extension of their widespread use, they also are quite common items of evidence and significance in Forensic investigations. In addition to people who legally use pharmaceuticals within their prescribed limits, some individuals become addicted or use drugs in ways that they are not intended. In this case, Forensic investigators may be faced with an investigation involving an overdose.

Interesting Statistics

View the interesting statistics about drug use below.

Also, in 2012, the DEA seized the following amounts of illegal drugs:

Cocaine: 36,001 Kilograms

Heroin: 934 Kilograms

Marijuana: 354,023 Kilograms

Methamphetamine: 3,898 Kilograms

Hallucinogens: 784,213 dosage units

Drug dependence is an addiction to drugs, or the inability to stop using harmful substances despite the problems they cause. There are two types of drug dependence: psychological dependence and physical dependence. Psychological dependence is the conditioned use of a drug caused by underlying emotional needs. Physical dependence is the physiological need for a drug that has been brought about by its regular use.

 Dependence is characterized by withdrawal sickness when administration of the drug is abruptly stopped. Different drugs can cause different withdrawal symptoms but there are some common symptoms associated with substance abuse withdrawal including nausea, vomiting, sweating, shaking, anxiety, paranoia, and weight loss.

In addition to harming themselves, those who abuse drugs also may harm others. Whether it is someone driving under the influence of alcohol who crashes into another motorist, or a Methamphetamine user who steals an item to obtain drug money; drug abuse can be a huge social problem. View the graphic to the right to see the ranking of various drugs on a scale of their tendency to harm based on damage to health, drug dependency, economic costs and crime. Note that alcohol, a legal drug, is ranked as the drug with the most potential to harm on this scale! How can this be? While alcohol is the 4th most harmful drug on the graph to the individual user, it is the most harmful drug listed for others of society outside of the user. This is most likely due to its widespread availability and use, as well as the potential for harmful events such as drunk driving. Note that Heroin, Crack Cocaine, and Methamphetamine appear to be the most harmful to the individual user.

Drug Schedules Interactivity