Identification of street drugs by thin-layer chromatography and a single visualization reagent.

TCBI has been shown to be an extremely sensitive visualizer that gives a wide variety of colors with the drugs of abuse. The combination of TCBI as a visualization reagent and manual TLC, using flexible silica gel sheets, can provide a rapid means for the preliminary identification of street drugs.     

Screening analysis for medicinal drugs and drugs of abuse in whole blood using ultra-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF-MS)-Toxicological findings in cases of alleged sexual assault

An ultra-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF-MS) method for simultaneous screening of 46 medicinal drugs and drugs of abuse in whole blood was developed and validated. The method includes most of the commonly used and abused drugs such as amphetamines, cocaine, benzodiazepines, and opioids. Chromatographic separation of the targeted drugs was achieved using a Waters ACQUITY UPLC coupled to a Waters Micromass LCT Premier XE time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The total chromatographic run time was 13.5min injection to injection. The estimated method LOQ is in the range of 0.06-27ng/g, which is below the therapeutic levels for each of the drugs analyzed but LSD. The extraction recovery ranged from 6% to 197% with median value 95% and mean value 82%. Matrix effect ranged from 81% suppression to 29% enhancement of the signals compared to signals obtained in the absence of biological matrix. The method was tested on 55 authentic forensic toxicology samples confirming the same positive results as found using the routine analytical procedures as well as some additional compounds. Recently there has been considerable attention paid to drug-facilitated sexual assault and the toxicological findings in these cases. As part of a pilot study to investigate the prevalence of medicinal drugs, drugs of abuse, and alcohol in victims of alleged sexual assault, biological specimens were obtained from 167 victims being examined at the Sexual Assault Center in Aarhus, Denmark. The obtained blood samples were analyzed using the novel screening method supported by additional analyses for e.g. THC and alcohol. 124 victims reported they have been drinking alcohol prior to the assault (74%). Alcohol analyses revealed 59 positive findings (48%). 35 of the cases were found positive for one or more drugs excluding alcohol (21%). 20 of the victims reported they have been subject to a drug-facilitated sexual assault (12%). For the victims suspecting drug-facilitated sexual assault, the toxicological analyses revealed four positive for alcohol and nine victims were positive for one or more drugs, with six of the victims found positive for benzodiazepines or other drugs with sedative effects. It was notable that victims tested positive for medicinal drugs and drugs of abuse as well as victims of alleged drug-facilitated sexual assault in average underwent medical examination later than the whole study population.     

Rapid isolation with Sep-Pak C18 cartridges and wide-bore capillary gas chromatography of some butyrophenones

A simple and rapid method for isolation of five butyrophenones with Sep-Pak C18 cartridges from human samples, and their wide-bore capillary gas chromatography (GC), are presented. The GC was made by both flame ionization and electron capture detections. The drugs contained in alkaline samples were directly applied to the cartridges and eluted with chloroform/isopropanol (9:1). The recoveries with use of the cartridges were excellent for most drugs in both urine and plasma samples. We can recommend the Sep-Pak C18 cartridges for isolation of butyrophenones because of simplicity and rapidity, and also wide-bore capillary GC because of high sensitivity and low decomposition of drugs during passage through the column.     

Social learning and adolescent deviance abstention: Toward understanding the reasons for initiating,quitting, and avoiding drugs

Tests of theories that attempt to explain why individuals currently use drugs are widespread; however, the theoretical examinations of abstention from drugs and the cessation of their use are rare. For its part, social learning theory has been supported consistently in its delineation of the process by which substance use is learned. We propose that cessation and abstention are also learned behavior. Using logistic regression analysis, we examine the ability of social learning variables to distinguish among abstainers, current users, and former users of illicit drugs within a sample of 1688 middle- and high-school students in two widely separated nonurban communities. Results indicate that social learning variables clearly distinguish abstainers from current users but are less able to distinguish former users and current users or former users from abstainers. The theoretical, research, and policy implications of these findings are examined in detail.     

Bad medicine: prescription drugs, preemption, and the potential for a no-fault fix

For decades, federal regulation of pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices has worked hand in hand with state tort claims to protect the health and safety of the American public. Now, a new trend toward preemption endangers this scheme. In recent years, the Supreme Court has given increasing deference to agency assertions about their preemptive authority and has found preemption in an increasing number of cases. In the process, the Supreme Court has preempted claims for medical device injuries and left claims for pharmaceutical harms in a precarious position. The elimination of common law claims for drug and device harms will leave holes in the FDA's regulatory scheme, endangering the health and safety of Americans. It will also prevent ordinary Americans from seeking compensation for their injuries--even those injuries caused by manufacturer malfeasance. This Article proposes that Congress create a no-fault compensation scheme for drugs and medical devices to close these gaps. Such a scheme could be both practical and politically possible, satisfying manufacturers, tort reformers, patients, and plaintiffs' lawyers alike.     

Application of a simple extraction procedure using aqueous ammonia to the analysis of basic drugs in blood by gas chromatography

A simple and reliable previously reported extraction procedure has been extended to the analysis of a wide range of basic and neutral drugs in postmortem blood and other tissues. The method employs 200 microliters of blood treated with water and ammonia and extracted with diethyl ether. The concentrated extract is generally sufficiently clean for direct analysis by gas chromatography and high pressure liquid chromatography. Recovery, precision and linearity data are presented for selected drugs.     

A quantitative densitometric determination of heroin and cocaine samples by high-performance thin-layer chromatography

The traditional thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is a sensitive technique frequently used in chemical analysis for semiquantitative determinations. In the last years a high-performance thin-layer chromatography system (HPTLC) has been developed. It assures quantitative determinations with direct densitometric measurements of chromatographic spots in situ on the plate. Here, we wish to report a method for the drug determination in street samples, that employs a CAMAG TLC/HPTLC Scanner Photodensitometer and a CAMAG LINOMAT III for sample application. Samples of illicit drug traffic (50 samples of street heroin and 30 samples of street cocaine) are tested and the gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) and HPTLC determinations are compared. The HPTLC method has proven to be sensitive, precise and accurate for quantitative determinations of drugs in street samples. Furthermore this method may be useful in forensic chemistry to show a "fingerprint" of each sample.     

Drugs, markets and criminal justice in Poland

Since 1989 drug situation in Poland has changed considerably. First, Polandhas become a major European producer of synthetic drugs. Second, it has becomea major transit country for smuggling drugs. Third, while its drug markets arenot yet fully developed, they offer now a much broader selection of drugs thanthe pre-1989 staple drug, the home-made ``Polish heroin'. Despite some alarmabout a growing drug problem, Polish drug policies remained for many years primarily public health oriented. The recent drug law reforms may signify, however, a shift towards a more punitive approach. This paper explores theconditions surrounding the emergence of both new markets and new controlstrategies.     

The Interrelationship Between Substance Abuse and the Likelihood of Arrest,Conviction, and Re-offending in Cases of Intimate Partner Violence

The nexus between substance abuse and intimate partner violence has been studied in depth. The interrelationship between substance abuse, intimate partner violence, and the criminal justice system response and subsequent offending has not received as much attention. In this article, the authors examine the impact of substance abuse on the likelihood of an officer’s decision to make an arrest, conviction in that case, and subsequent re-offending. The authors find that while official decision-making remains unaffected by the fact that the offender has been drinking and/or using drugs, substance abuse and subsequent re-offending are inextricably interlinked. These findings highlight the need to screen domestic violence offenders for alcohol/drug abuse, and provide offenders manifesting these problems with alcohol/drug treatment in addition to batterer treatment.     

Detection and assay of cis- and trans-isomers of 4-methylaminorex in urine, plasma and tissue samples

The 4-methylaminorex (4-MAX) is an amphetamine-related psychostimulant drug that has appeared on the clandestine market with a street name of "U4Euh". This compound exists as four stereoisomers, trans-4R,5R, trans-4S,5S, cis-4R,5S and cis-4S,5R, of which the cis forms have been classified as Schedule I substances in the US. The increasing variety of designer drugs has highlighted the importance of detection, identification, and quantitative measurement of these drugs, including 4-MAX, in biological samples. In the present study, the isomers of 4-MAX were detected in urine of rats treated with the drugs by some but not all of the on-site immunoassays tested, mainly as amphetamine or methamphetamine. To facilitate identification of 4-MAX by laboratories specialized in drug analysis, the electron-ionization mass spectrum and TLC data for underivatized 4-MAX using a routine laboratory drug-screening procedure is provided. In addition, a GC/MS method is described for the quantitative determination of cis- and trans-4-MAX as tert-butyldimethylsilyl-derivatives in plasma, urine and tissue.     

The determination of cocaine and its major metabolite, benzoylecgonine, in postmortem fluids and tissues by computerized gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

An analytical procedure for the simultaneous determination of both cocaine and benzoylecgonine in postmortem fluid and tissue samples has been developed by using computerized gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and gas chromatography using a nitrogen/phosphorus (N/P) detector. Both methods are accurate and sensitive and allow the determination of tissue concentrations of cocaine and benzoylecgonine as low as 0.015 microgram/mL.     

Differentiation of fetal and adult bloodstains by pyrolysis-gas-liquid chromatography

A pyrolysis-gas-liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the differentiation of adult and fetal bloodstains. In a blind-coded study, five adult and three fetal bloodstains were correctly identified on the basis of the pyrograms of stain extracts. The differentiation between adult and fetal bloodstains is based on the peak height ratio of two long-retention-time peaks appearing in their pyrograms. The first of these peaks has been tentatively identified as indole derived from the pyrolysis of tryptophan, while the second peak is an as-yet unidentified molecular fragment produced by the pyrolysis of some component of the hemoglobin molecule other than the amino acids tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine.     

Female drug abusers, narcotics offenders, and legal punishment in China

Drug abuse and narcotics offenses have been surging since the economic reforms in China. Accompanied is the dramatic increase of female involvement in the use of drugs and narcotics offenses. As a response, laws and governmental decrees have been promulgated and modified to curb these emerging and changing crimes and social problems. Courts at all levels in China also devoted more resources in handling and processing these particular criminals and crimes. Whether and how these legal initiatives have been translated into punishment that treats male and female offenders equally who committed similar offenses remains questionable. Citing published criminal court judgment documents, this study addressed this issue empirically and offered some plausible theoretical explanations for the treatment of female drug users and narcotics offenders by criminal courts in China.     

Open drug scenes and police strategies in Oslo,Norway

Harm reduction has since the late 80s gradually been part of Norwegian drug policy, challenging original working strategies for police in open drug scenes; places with extensive public trade and use of illegal drugs. This study addresses the research questions: What characterizes police work in open drug scenes in Oslo? How do the police solve the practical challenges of working within a ‘dual-track policy’ combining harm-reducing and punitive approaches? This historical analysis of police approaches to open drug scenes concerns the years 1993–2015. The open drug scene has moved continuously within a limited area around the Central train Station. The study uses data from newspaper articles, semi-structured interviews of responsible police in the area and public action plans by the Municipality of Oslo. Police strategies in Oslo’s drug scenes have changed from strictly punitive to a mixture of harm-reducing and punitive efforts. The police change back and forth between these strategies, and within the same time period they sometimes engage in both. Within the current drug policy, the dilemmas of practical police work persist, as inhabitants of the drug scene perform numerous criminal acts and simultaneously are in need of care.     

血、尿中常见吩噻嗪类药物的高效液相色谱分析

吩噻嗪类安眠镇静药物易受光、热分解,气相色谱分析法受一定限制。而采用反相离子对液相色谱技术,使七种常见吩噻嗪类药物得到较好的分离。使用紫外及荧光分光光度计测定,可作为血、尿中此类药物的快速定性、定量分析方法之一。本法已在刑事中毒案件与临床抡救化验中应用。     

Carisoprodol, meprobamate, and driving impairment

This paper considers the pharmacology of the centrally acting muscle relaxant carisoprodol, and its metabolite meprobamate, which is also administered as an anxiolytic in its own right. Literature implicating these drugs in impaired driving is also reviewed. A series of 104 incidents in which these drugs were detected in the blood of drivers involved in accidents or arrested for impaired driving was considered, with respect to the analytical toxicology results, patterns of drug use in these subjects, the driving behaviors exhibited, and the symptoms observed in the drivers. Symptomatology and driving impairment were consistent with other CNS depressants, most notably alcohol. Reported driving behaviors included erratic lane travel, weaving, driving slowly, swerving, stopping in traffic, and hitting parked cars and other stationary objects. Drivers on contact by the police displayed poor balance and coordination, horizontal gaze nystagmus, bloodshot eyes, unsteadiness, slurred speech, slow responses, tendency to doze off or fall asleep, difficulty standing, walking or exiting their vehicles, and disorientation. Many of these cases had alcohol or other centrally acting drugs present also, making difficult the attribution of the documented impairment specifically to carisoprodol and meprobamate. In 21 cases, however, no other drugs were detected, and similar symptoms were present. Impairment appeared to be possible at any concentration of these two drugs; however, the most severe driving impairment and most overt symptoms of intoxication were noted when the combined concentration exceeded 10 mg/L, a level still within the normal therapeutic range.     

The modern trends in alcohol, drugs and driving research

Research on alcohol, drugs and driving can be broadly separated into experimental and epidemiological studies. Every approach has its inherent advantages and disadvantages. Experimental studies can result in an interpretation by single cause, but can only identify potential risks, and the results can sometimes be of limited value because of the use of non-realistic doses or because of the drug use history or inter-individual differences of the volunteers. Recent studies have used higher, more realistic doses and paid more attention to the combination of alcohol and drugs and have shown that the chronic use of illicit drugs can be associated with some cognitive and/or psychomotor impairment, and can lead to a decrease in driving performance even when the subject is no longer intoxicated.Epidemiological studies include roadside surveys, studies in a subset of drivers, accident risk studies, responsibility analyses, surveys and pharmaco-epidemiological studies. Between studies, results may be incomparable due to testing different populations, different kinds of samples, etc. More large-scale roadside studies are conducted now.Advances in analytical toxicology have also contributed to a better understanding of the risks associated with driving under the influence. While older studies measured the inactive metabolite THC-COOH and did not show an increased risk in cannabis-positive drivers, more recent studies measured the active THC in blood and did show a concentration dependent increase in crash risk. The use of LC–MS/MS has allowed more broad-range screening as this technique can measure many different drugs in a small sample volume. While some older studies used saliva but had many analytical problems (including an insufficient sample volume in up to a third of the cases), newer methods of saliva sampling and analysis give better results. The use of saliva for roadside surveys allows non-invasive sampling, but the lack of correlation with the concentrations in blood makes interpretation of results difficult.The results of both epidemiological and experimental studies should be combined to obtain a good estimate of the impact of certain drugs on driving performance and accident risk. In 2006–07 a committee of international experts drafted guidelines for future research into drugs and driving. These have been taken on board by the DRUID project, a large-scale EU funded project on driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol and medicines.