Forensic Drug Analysis

• Forensic labs are used to identify unknown powders, liquids and pills that may be illicit drugs.
• Forensic toxicologists detect and identify drugs and poisons in the body fluids, tissues and organs.
• There are two categories of forensic tests used to analyze drugs and other unknown substances- presumptive tests and confirmatory tests.
• The ultimate purpose of forensic drug collection, preservation and analysis is to ensure such evidence is legally admissible as evidence in the court of law.
• Drug must be accurately weighed during the collection process. This means weighing everything that is collected including the drugs and the packaging material and recording the weights. Liquids are measured in liters, milliliters or other metric units represent volume.
• If drugs are found in individual dosage forms such as pills and tablets then each dosage must be counted and find the average weight.

Test your knowledge of forensic drug analysis, including the identification of unknown substances, drug collection and preservation, and the types of tests used. Learn about the techniques used to ensure evidence is legally admissible in court.