Forensic Aspects of Drug Abuse 3 Flashcards
What is PCP?
- dissociative anaesthetic with hallucinogenic properties
What was PSP first developed as?
IV anesthetic for humans
What are the street names for PCP?
- magic dust
- angel dust
- embalming fluid
- elephant tranquilizer
What the most common method of ingestion of PCP?
- smoked
How to they formulate the PCP to enable it to be smoked?
- applied in either powder or liquid form to a variety of leafy substances which can then be smoked in a pipe or homemade
What are the desired effects of PCP?
- intense euphoria
- hallucinations
- relaxation
- dissociation form the environment
What is the onset of effect from PCP?
1-5 minutes if smoked
What is the duration of PCP effect?
4-6 hours or longer
What are the physical effects of PCP?
- agitation, confusion
- disorientation
- increased pain threshold
- elevated body temp
- moon walking
- cyclic behaviour
What are the s/s of PCP toxicity?
- delirium
- hallucinations
- convulsions
- violent reactions
What happens with overdose associated with PCP?
- deep coma
- seizures
- death is due to respiratory arrest and potentially cardiac arrest
(longterm use- can lead to psychosis)
Does PCP cause both physiological and psychological dependance?
- psych: YES
- physiological: NO
What kind of drug is GHB classified as?
a CNS depressant
What was GHB used for in the past?
- combo with anaesthetic
- experimental tx for narcolepsy
- alcohol withdrawal
What are the street names for GHB?
- easy lay
- liquid E
- G
- salt water
What are the desired effects from GHB?
- relaxation
- sense of well being
- loss of social inhibitions
What is the onset of GHB?
- 5-20 minutes
What is the duration of action of GHB?
2-3 hours (makes it difficult because cannot be detected in blood after around 6 hours - implications for date rape trials)
What are the other effects associated with GHB?
- amnesia
- drowsiness
- impaired judgement
- slowed rxn time
- slurred speech
- loss of balance
At a higher dose, what are the physical reactions to GHB?
- LOC
- slowed HR
- seizures
- decreased resp
- coma
- death
GHB is an ________________
endogenous metabolite
GHB may be a product of _______ metabolism
postmortem
What are the properties of cannabis?
- CNS depressant, stimulant and has hallucinogenic properties as well
What are the useful properties of cannabis used medicinally?
- antiemetic
- management of glaucoma
- antispasmodic
- appetite enhancer
Dronabinol is a synthetic _____________
trans (-) isomer of THC
What is dronabinol approved for?
- n/v associated with cancer
- anorexia and weight loss with AIDs
What is nabilone?
- synthetic chromenone derivative of THC
What is nabilone approved for?
- n/v associated with cancer
- anorexia and weight loss with AIDs
Sativex is a ______ and _______
natural THC and cannabidiol
Sativex is approved for what?
tx of neuropathic pain and spasticity associated with MS
What are the street names associated with cannabis?
dope ganja grass J mary jane
What is the best part of the weed plant?
resin at the top of the plant has THC that is the best
What is the desired effects of cannabis?
- euphoria
- general sense of well being
- relaxation
- loss of inhibition
What is the duration of a high from cannabis(smoked)
2-3 hours
What are the other effects of cannabis? (more physical)
- distortion of time, space, body image
- impairment of recent memory and concentration
- mild confusion; disorientation
- reduced attention span
- reduced ability to process information
- difficulty with balance
- dry mouth
What are the s/s of cannabis toxicity?
- fearfulness
- anxiety
- mild paranoia
What is heroin classified as?
- CNS depressant
Heroin is _______ times more potent than morphine
2-3 x
How is morphine produced?
- by treating morphine with acetic anhydride
What are some of the street names associated with heroin?
- antifreeze
- big H
- brown sugar
What are the methods of heroin ingestion?
- injection
- smoking
- snorting
What is the point of using a depressant (heroin) at the same time as using a stimulant (crack rocks)
- crack rocks have an effect right away (lasts around 20 minutes) - by the time the crack rocks wear off, then the heroin starts to work
What are the desired effects associated with heroin?
- euphoria
- sense of well being
- relief of pain
What is the onset of heroin action?
- immediate euphoria
- 15-30 minutes for the other physical effects
What is the duration of the physical effects associated with heroin?
3-6 hours for the physical effects
What is the “on the nod”
effect associated with heroin?
- semiconscious
- droopy eyelids
- head slumped forward, chin on chest
- easily awakened
- altert to questions
What narcotic will not cause constricted pupils?
- demerol
What are the other physical effects associated with heroin?
- slowed reflexed
- slow, raspy speech
- facial itching
- nausea
- difficulty with urination
- slow, deliberate movement
What is associated with toxicity of heroin?
- resp depression
- coma
- death
Does heroin cause both psychological and physiological dependence?
- YES
What are the s/s associated with withdrawal?
- insomnia, vomiting, diarrhea, hot and cold flashes, weakness and cold like symptoms
What is one of the main interpretation challenges around heroin use?
- heroin is not detected in the body fluids and requires a special extraction procedure(requires extraction at a pH of 8)
