The Misuse of Drugs Act: A Guide for Forensic ScientistsIn recent years, the use of illegal substances has increased, particularly 'designer' drugs which have rapidly become part of youth culture. The need for all involved in drug control to have up to date information about the subject has never been greater. This book helps meet this need by providing a chemical background to the legal controls on drugs of abuse. Although focussed on the UK, some of the provisions of the Misuse of Drugs Act derive from international treaties; the discussion of technical aspects is therefore of wider relevance. Apart from the Act itself, the book also deals with certain aspects of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations. There is detailed coverage of 'designer drugs' and the generic legislation that was introduced to tackle them. The more recent addition of 35 'Ecstasy'-like substances is covered in depth. The significance to the legislation of terms such as salt, base, stereoisomer, ester, ether, derivative, homologue and isotope are described, and the text is supplemented by 23 Tables and over 80 chemical structures. There are eleven Appendices covering topics such as precursor chemicals, related legislation, stated cases, sentencing guidelines and the chemical characteristics of commonly-abused drugs. Up-to-date lists of controlled drugs, with cross references to their status in UN treaties, are provided and a number of pending and other possible changes to the Act are included together with a guide to nomenclature and synonyms. Although primarily aimed at forensic scientists, this book will be of great benefit to all bodies concerned with drug control, including the police, customs officers, lawyers and government departments. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Chapter | 5 |
Chapter | 8 |
Substancespecific | 25 |
Groupspecific | 29 |
Chapter 6 | 38 |
18 | 42 |
Chapter 7 | 44 |
21 | 48 |
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Common terms and phrases
5,5-disubstituted barbituric acid abuse Act 1971 Modification Alfentanil alkoxy Alphaprodine amine amphetamine anabolic steroids Appendix atoms base benzodiazepines cannabinol cannabis and cannabis cannabis or cannabis cannabis resin cathinone CH3 CH3 CH3 OH CH3O Chapter chemical chiral centre Class A controlled Class A drug cocaine codeine compound controlled drugs Convention and Schedule definition derivatives of lysergamide designer drugs diamorphine dihydrocodeine Drugs Act 1971 ecgonine ester ester or ether example excluded from control fentanyl further substituted H Ethyl hallucinogenic haloalkyl halogeno hash oil homologues hydrochloride i-Pro International Non-proprietary Name isotopes ketamine legislation lysergamide MDMA medicinal product methcathinone methoxyphenamine methylamphetamine Misuse of Drugs morphine NH₂ NH2 CH3 OCH3 offence paragraph 1(c pemoline pethidine phenethyl group phenethylamine PIHKAL poppy-straw precursor preparation psilocin ring with alkyl rINN salt Schedule in Regulations specified in paragraph specified in sub-paragraph stereoisomers structurally derived Substance or Product synthetic Table tablets tryptamine Н Н Н