Abstract
Results
Author: Desmond CORRIGAN
Pages: 57 to 60
Creation Date: 1979/01/01
A survey of the composition of 4,933 exhibits submitted for laboratory analysis by the Drug Squad of the Irish police during the years 1968-1978 indicated an increase in the level of non-medical drug consumption in the Republic of Ireland. Cannabis was the most widely encountered drug. Barbiturates constituted a considerable proportion. Amphetamines were rarely found; this was attributed to the unique legislation controlling the storage and sale of amphetamines. Various substances were sold as drugs of abuse. For example, Datura was sold as cannabis which caused a considerable concern because of its toxicity.
The recognition of a drug-related problem of some significance in Ireland during 1968 led to the formation of a drug squad in the Irish police. Since that time a total of 4,933 exhibits arising from arrests and drug seizures have been submitted for laboratory analyses. These exhibits ranged from "normal" pharmaceutical formulations (tablets, ampoules, etc.) to unknown powders and a large number of more unusual items (table 1). The drugs were identified using an appropriate combination of microscopic, chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques [ (1)] , [ (2)] .
The composition of the samples submitted is shown in percentages for each year in table 2. There was a steady increase in the number of exhibits each year. The number may appear small by comparison with other countries [ (3)] , [ (4)] , [ (5)] but it must be borne in mind that the population of the Republic of Ireland is approximately 3.5 million. The increase may be partly due to an increase in illicit drug use and to an increase in the strength and experience of the Drug Squad which had 4 members in 1968 rising to 15 members at the present time.
The most widely encountered drug was cannabis. Various forms of cannabis were found. In 1978, 43 per cent of the cannabis seized was resin; 36 per cent of the exhibits consisted of cigarette ends, pipes and weighing scales. Cannabis herb constituted 21 per cent of the cannabis exhibits. In recent years a significant proportion (37 per cent) of this herb has been of Irish origin and has contained active tetrahydrocannabinol.
Exhibit |
Analytical findings |
---|---|
Currency notes
|
Traces of cannabis
|
Books
|
Cannabis resin
|
Felt tip pens
|
Cannabis resin
|
Cables
|
Traces of cannabis
|
Soft toys
|
Cannabis resin
|
Weighing scales
|
Traces of cannabis
|
Syringes
|
Various drugs
|
Spoons
|
Various drugs
|
Bottle top
|
Dipipanone tablets in solution
|
Postage stamps
|
LSD
|
Record covers
|
Cocaine
|
1968 |
1969 |
1970 |
1971 |
1972 |
1973 |
1974 |
1975 |
1976 |
1977 | 1978 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cannabis
|
21 | 8 | 46 | 57 | 47 | 67 | 55 | 61 | 61 | 60 | 67 |
Cocaine
|
3 | 3 |
1*
|
-
|
1*
|
1*
|
1*
|
3 |
1*
|
1*
|
1 |
Heroin
|
-
|
4 |
1 *
|
2 | 6 |
1*
|
1*
|
1*
|
1*
|
1*
|
1*
|
Morphine
|
3 | 39 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
Opium
|
-
|
1*
|
-
|
1*
|
1*
|
1*
|
1*
|
1 | 1 |
-
|
1*
|
Dextro-moramide
|
-
|
-
|
1 |
1*
|
2 |
1*
|
3 | 2 |
1*
|
2 | 1 |
Dipipanone .
|
-
|
-
|
2 | 5 |
1 *
|
1*
|
1*
|
2 |
1*
|
2 | 2 |
Methadone .
|
-
|
1 | 4 |
1*
|
2 |
1*
|
3 | 1 |
1*
|
2 | 1 |
Pethidine
|
23 | 13 | 4 |
1*
|
2 |
1*
|
3 | 1 |
1*
|
2 | 1 |
Amphe-tamines
|
-
|
-
|
1 | 1 |
1*
|
1*
|
1*
|
-
|
1*
|
1*
|
1*
|
Barbiturates
|
1 |
1*
|
1 |
1*
|
6 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 3 | |
LSD .
|
-
|
1*
|
6 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
1*
|
1*
|
Metha-qualone
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1*
|
1 | 2 | 1 |
1*
|
2 | 1 |
1*
|
Methyl-phenidate
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1*
|
1*
|
|||
"Negative" results
|
27 | 29 | 18 | 24 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 19 | 22 | 19 |
No. of exhibits
|
52 | 142 | 187 | 310 | 580 | 464 | 684 | 638 | 495 | 657 | 784 |
Less than 1 per cent.
Other drugs appear to present less of a problem. Fortunately heroin has been rarely encountered. Amphetamine type drugs constituted a very minor part of the drug scene in Ireland. This is in contrast to Sweden where Stromberg and Other drugs appear to present less of a problem. Fortunately heroin has been rarely encountered. Amphetamine type drugs constituted a very minor part of the drug scene in Ireland. This is in contrast to Sweden where Stromberg and Maehly reported (4) that in a two - month period 65 per cent of the exhibits submitted for analysis contained an amphetamine type drug. The situation in Ireland is unusual in view of the reports on amphetamine dependence [ (6)] . The improvement is due to the unique legislation dealing with the sale of amphetamines in Ireland [ (7)] . These drugs may only be obtained by means of a special licence through a central Health Board Pharmacy and not through other pharmacies. This legislation has undoubtedly reduced the incidence of amphetamine abuse which is in contrast to the situation with barbiturates. The abuse of these parenterally or orally in combination with alcohol constitutes a significant problem [ (8)] . The supply of barbiturates is obtained through thefts from pharmacies and through the use of forged prescriptions. The application of amphetamine type controls to these drugs could reduce the incidence of abuse and the associated risk of fatalities.
As other laboratories dealing with drugs of abuse, this laboratory received a large number of exhibits each of them containing either a non-controlled drug, or a harmless substance, or a drug of abuse, The level of "negative" results in this laboratory was roughly comparable with those reported elsewhere [ (3)] . An analysis of the types of substances in these "negative" exhibits can often be informative as to possible trends. For example, an increasing number of benzodiazepine derivatives (fluorazepam, diazepam) are being submitted. This may indicate abuse potential or misidentification by the police. There is also the possibility that these are medicines legally prescribed for the persons possessing them.
Many of the materials which were sold as drugs of abuse were harmless (table 3); for example, water for injection sold as morphine, and parsley sold as cannabis. Others, however, were extremely dangerous. The use of Datura preparations as a substitute for cannabis is growing and has resulted in numerous reports in the literature describing the treatment of atropine poisoning and the hallucinations which follow the consumption of these preparations [ (9)] . A more serious problem concerns a recent case where a sample of powder was purchased as methylamphetamine while on analysis this was found to be heroin. This has been an isolated occurrence so far.
Substance submitted as |
Substance identified as |
---|---|
Cannabis
|
Parsley
|
Cannabis
|
Henna
(Lawsonia alba)
|
Cannabis
|
Coffee
|
Cannabis
|
Datura stramoniurn
|
Cannabis
|
Meat extract
|
Hash oil
|
Oil of patchouli
|
Amphetamine tablets
|
Starch tablets
|
Amphetamine
|
Sodium Cromoglycate (Intal)
|
Methylamphetamine
|
Pseudoephedrine
|
Methylamphetamine
|
Diacetylmorphine
|
Mescaline
|
Methylamphetamine
|
Cocaine
|
Benzocaine
|
Cocaine
|
Lignocaine
|
LSD
|
Saccharin tablets
|
LSD
|
Lentils
|
Morphine ampoules
|
Water for injection
|
Peyote
|
Ginger
(Zingiber spp)
|
In the years 1968-1978 Ireland has seen a dramatic increase in the nonmedical use of drugs as have many other countries. However, Ireland has been relatively fortunate in that the more dangerous drugs of abuse are not as widely used as in some other countries. An enlightened policy of education and legislation should assist in controlling the situation.
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002E.G.C. Clarke. Isolation and Identification of Drugs, Vols. 1 and 2. The Pharmaceutical Press, London.
003D.W. Johnson and J.W. Gunn. Dangerous Drugs: Adulterants, Diluents and
000Deception in street samples, J. Forens. Sci. 17 , 629-39, 1972.
004L. Stromberg and A.C. Maehly. The narcotics situation in Sweden: Seizures and analysis. J. Anal. Toxicol. 2 , 7-12, 1978.
005W.D.C. Wilson. Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory, London. Personal communication.
006Report of the Working Party on Drug Abuse. Government Stationery Office, Dublin
19711971.
007R.F. Timoney. Control of Amphetamines in the Republic of Ireland. J. Irish Med. Ass. 65 , 57-61, 1972.
008M.G. Kelly and F. Sammon. Some characteristics of Drug Abusers attending a Drug Treatment Centre in Dublin . J. Irish Med. Ass. 68, 121-25, 1975.
009A. Ballantyne, P. Lippiett and J. Park. Herbal cigarettes for kicks. Brit. Med. J ., 1539-40, 1976.