IMPAIRING SUBSTANCES

• Barbituates, Diazepam

  • Can be taken orally, rectally, or injected

  • When in a pill form, they take a form of small pills, sometimes with an embossed symbol, or a brand name

  • Can be prescribed as a medication, although it is often abused

• Alprazolam

  • Taken orally, in the form of a pill

  • Can be prescribed as a medication, although it is often abused

• Alcohol

  • Taken orally, in the form of a beverage containing a certain percentage of ethanol

  • Can come in many forms, both comercially made and home made, such as beer, wine and distilled spirits

  • Legal to drink and possess, however illegal "behind the wheel"

Generic effects:

• Sleepiness

• Reduced inhibitions (subject does not react to everything going on around them)

• Divided attention imparment

• Slowed reflexes

• Impaired vision, hand-eye coordination, judgement and concentration

• Slurred, mumbled, or incoherent speech

• Amplification of felt emotions and instability

• Possibly dilated pupils (pupils wide open)

Additional effects of alcohol:

• Smell

• Glassy, droopy, watery, and reddened eyes

• Probable cause to believe such substances are present in an individual's metabolism can be established by the administration of a Standardised Field Sobriety Test (SFST), combined with officer's observations

  • Alcohol may be detected using a so-called breathalyzed, or Portable Breath Test

  • Presence of other depressants may be detected using saliva test kits

• Presence of listed CNS Depressants (other than alcohol) in a substance can be determined using portable test kits, where a reagent gains a certain color when a tested for substance is introduced into it

• With a warrant, individual's urine and blood can be tested in laboratory setting for CNS Depressant presence, necessary to secure a criminal conviction

• Cocaine

  • White crystalline substance

  • Injected or inhaled nasally

• Crack Cocaine

  • Crystalline rocks, might have the appearance of pieces of soap

  • Smoked in a glass pipe

• Metamphetamine

  • White or blue powder, crystals, shards, or rock resembling a block of paraffin

  • Injected or smoked in a glass pipe

• Anxiety

• Euphoria

• Eyelid and leg tremors

• Restlessness

• Increased pulse, blood pressure, body temperature and respiratory rate

• Rapid, irrational and slurred speech

• Creates euphoric effect

• Enhances the body's "fight or flight" response

• Constricted pupils

• Probable cause to believe such substances are present in an individual's metabolism can be established by the administration of a Standardised Field Sobriety Test (SFST), combined with officer's observations

  • Cocaine, crack cocaine and methamphetamine can be detected using a saliva test

• Presence of cocaine, crack cocaine and methamphetamine in a substance can be determined using portable test kits, where a reagent gains a certain color when a tested for substance is introduced into it (Mayer's reagent for cocaine and other alkaloids, Mandelin reagent for methamphetamine)

• With a warrant, individual's urine and blood can be tested in laboratory setting for CNS Depressant presence, necessary to secure a criminal conviction

• Peyote (psychoactive drug Mescaline)

  • Plant itself is a small, round, spineless cactus

  • Pieces of it are often dried to make green, disc-shaped buttons that are chewed or soaked in water to drink

  • May be also ground into powder and poured into capsules

• Psilocybin (a.k.a. magic mushrooms)

  • This substance is found in fungi of the genus Psilocybe, which are small, brown mushrooms, with a typical "little brown mushroom" morphology

  • These mushrooms are grown, picked and then dried before oral consumption

• LSD

  • In pure form, it is clear or white in color, has no smell, and is crystalline

  • In consumer form, it is most often sold on blotter paper and less commonly as tablets or gelatin squares

  • Consumed orally, usually held under the tongue

• MDMA

  • Most widely known as ecstasy, which refers to its tablet form, taking the shape of small, round tablets, which are sometimes embossed with letters or symbols, which are ingested

  • Alternatively, it may be sold in pure crystalline powder form of MDMA, usually in capsules

  • Consumed orally

Generic effects:

• Dilated pupils

• Dazed appearance

• Statements suggesting hallucinations

• Perspiration

• Disorientation

• Altered perception of reality

• Nausea

• Altered heart rate

Additional effects of Mescaline, and Psilocybin:

• Open or closed eye hallucinations

• Altered and/or distorted perception of reality

• Production of intense emotions, both positive and negative (referred to coloquially as a "bad trip")

• Warped perception of time

• Generally, users tend to be passive, however, this may change in case of a "bad trip"

Additional effects of MDMA:

• Euphoria

• Increased emotionality

• Increased self confidence and sociability

• Blurred vision

• Sweating

• Probable cause to believe such substances are present in an individual's metabolism can be established by the administration of a Standardised Field Sobriety Test (SFST), combined with officer's observations

  • MDMA and Mescaline can be detected using a saliva test

• Presence of LSD, MDMA, Mescaline, Psilocybin in a substance can be determined using portable test kits, where a reagent gains a certain color when a tested for substance is introduced into it (Ehrlich reagent for LSD in form of pills, powders and blotter paper, Mollies reagent for MDMA in pills)

• With a warrant, individual's urine and blood can be tested in laboratory setting for presence of MDMA and Mescaline, necessary to secure a criminal conviction

  •  LSD can be detected only from a blood sample

• PCP 

  • Available in a variety of tablets, capsules, and colored crystalline powders, or in a liquid form (which is a PCP base dissolved in a solvent)

  • PCP may be snorted, injected or smoked by dipping marijuana or tobacco cigarettes in PCP, drying them and then smoking them

• Dextromethorphan

  • Drug found in cough syrups

  • Produces effects similar to PCP in high doses (drinking the whole bottle)

• Numbness of the extremities

• Slurred speech

• Loss of coordination

• High blood pressure and respiratory rate

• Sweating

• Excited delirium

• Unpredictable behavior

• Warped perception of reality

• Unexpected strength

• Horizontal and vertical nystagmus

• Probable cause to believe such substances are present in an individual's metabolism can be established by the administration of a Standardised Field Sobriety Test (SFST), combined with officer's observations

  • PCP can be detected using a saliva test

• Presence of PCP in a substance can be determined using portable test kits, where a reagent gains a certain color when a tested for substance is introduced into it

• With a warrant, individual's urine and blood can be tested in laboratory setting for presence of PCP, necessary to secure a criminal conviction

• Heroin

  • White to dark-brown powder, or tar-like substance

  • Can be injected, smoked, or inhaled

• Fentanyl

  • White, crystaline powder

  • CAUTION! Lethal doses of fentanyl are measured in micrograms, always wear gloves!

• Morphine

  • Clear liquid

  • Injected

• Painkillers (analgesics)

  • Take form or many prescription painkillers, which are often abused

• Constricted pupils

• Slowed reflexes

• Dry mouth

• Itching

• Euphoria, particularly shortly after heroin administration, which is often followed by drowsiness

• Slow, raspy speech

CAUTION! The effects of an opiod overdose (decreased breathing) can be countered using nasal spray containing naloxone, known also by its brand name, Narcan.

• Probable cause to believe such substances are present in an individual's metabolism can be established by the administration of a Standardised Field Sobriety Test (SFST), combined with officer's observations

  • Heroin and other opioates can be detected using a saliva test

• Presence of heroin and fentanyl in a substance can be determined using portable test kits, where a reagent gains a certain color when a tested for substance is introduced into it (Mecke Reagent for powder heroin, fentanyl reagent for pills, powders and liquids)

• With a warrant, individual's urine can be tested in laboratory setting for presence of heroin and other opiates, necessary to secure a criminal conviction

• Inhalants are typically powerful solvents, glues, spray paint, or anesthetic gasses

• As such, most would bear appearance of the substance being in its original packaging, or a smaller amount of it deposited in a plastic container

• Anesthetic gasses, such as Nitrous Oxide can be contained in small steel cylinders

• Note, simple possession of most substances abused as inhalants is not illegal.

• Odor of the inhaled substance

• Dizzines, numbness

• Traces of the substance around face and nose

• Bloodshot, watery eyes

• Distorted perception of time and distance

• Light headedness, nausea

• Slow, thick, slurred speech

• Flushed face

Additional effects of Nitrous Oxide:

• Euphoria

• Numbness to pain

• Altered perception of reality

• Probable cause to believe such substances are present in an individual's metabolism can be established by the administration of a Standardised Field Sobriety Test (SFST), combined with officer's observations

• As there is a wide variety of inhalants, most, if not all, legal to possess, determining the substance should be generally possible without a specialized test kit

  • However, metabolism testing can be impractical, due to wide variety of substances

• Marijuana (Psychoactive drug THC)

  • In its plant form, it is a green, tall plant, with spiky leaves

  • In dried form, it takes the form of green, dried, ground plant matter

  • Used by smoking, vaporizing, within food, or as an extract

  • Legal to use and possess, however illegal "behind the wheel"

• Hashish (Psychoactive drug THC)

  • Extracted plant resin, typically in the form of dark green, brown or black pressed matter

  • Consumed by smoking in a pipe, bong, vaporizer, or a joint, sometimes via oral ingestion

• Dilated pupils

• Body tremors

• Increased appetite

• Odor

• Relaxed Inhibition

• Euphoric feeling

• Lack of motivation

• Impaired coordination, concentration and memory

• Probable cause to believe such substances are present in an individual's metabolism can be established by the administration of a Standardised Field Sobriety Test (SFST), combined with officer's observations

  • THC (the psychoactive constituent in all cannabis derivatives) can be detected using a saliva test

• Presence of THC in a substance can be determined using portable test kits, where a reagent gains a certain color when a tested for substance is introduced into it. (Duquenois-Levine reagent)

• With a warrant, individual's urine can be tested in laboratory setting for presence of THC, necessary to secure a criminal conviction

• Pupils: NORMAL

• Reaction to light: SLOW

• Horizontal gaze nystagmus: PRESENT

• Vertical gaze nystagmus: POSSIBLY PRESENT

• Lack of ocular convergence (simultaneous inward movement of both eyes toward each other): PRESENT

• Pupils: DILATED

• Reaction to light: SLOW

• Horizontal gaze nystagmus: NOT PRESENT

• Vertical gaze nystagmus: NOT PRESENT

• Lack of ocular convergence (simultaneous inward movement of both eyes toward each other): NOT PRESENT

• Pupils: DILATED

• Reaction to light: NORMAL

• Horizontal gaze nystagmus: NOT PRESENT

• Vertical gaze nystagmus: NOT PRESENT

• Lack of ocular convergence (simultaneous inward movement of both eyes toward each other): NOT PRESENT

• Pupils: NORMAL

• Reaction to light: NORMAL

• Horizontal gaze nystagmus: PRESENT

• Vertical gaze nystagmus: USUALLY PRESENT

• Lack of ocular convergence (simultaneous inward movement of both eyes toward each other): PRESENT

• Pupils: CONSTRICTED

• Reaction to light: SLOW/NONE

• Horizontal gaze nystagmus: NOT PRESENT

• Vertical gaze nystagmus: NOT PRESENT

• Lack of ocular convergence (simultaneous inward movement of both eyes toward each other):NOT PRESENT

• Pupils: DILATED/NORMAL

• Reaction to light: NORMAL

• Horizontal gaze nystagmus: NOT PRESENT

• Vertical gaze nystagmus: NOT PRESENT

• Lack of ocular convergence (simultaneous inward movement of both eyes toward each other): PRESENT