Forensic Files

DFSA Drug Facts for Law Enforcement

All symptoms are drug and dose dependent

All symptoms can be magnified by use of alcohol

Some drugs have accumulated and unintentional side effects when taken regularly

Common elements: begins in a non-threatening social situation, “curtain comes down quickly”, loss of consciousness and memory, or passivity and loss of will to resist, amnesia, flashes of memory, moved to another location, wake up unable to move, unsure if sexually assaulted, feel extreme guilt, self-blame, receive less family and legal support

Drug Group	Onset	Duration	Symptoms
Benzodiazepines Long acting: Librium, Klonopin, Valium, Tranxene, Dalmane Short acting: Xanax, Serax, Rohypnol*	long acting – 15-30 min short acting - 20-30 min.	24-60 hrs 4-12 hrs	Decreased anxiety, can still function, looks heavily intoxicated, sluggish movement, incoordination, difficulty in thinking, slowed speech, faulty judgment, drowsiness, staggering gait, shallow breathing. Symptoms of very large doses: unconsciousness, coma, respiratory depression or asphyxia, death. *Anterograde amnesia Some other commonly prescribed medications may enhance effect (antibiotics, antifungals) *Fully conscious to unconscious within 10-15 min *Urine must be collected within 10-12 hrs or less
Barbiturates Soma, Seconal, GHB*	15-30 min	3-6 hrs
Hypnotics   (Z drugs) Ambien*, Lunesta, Sonata	10 – 30 min	lasts 6-8 hrs Lunesta lasts 1-6 hrs	Buzz, drowsiness, hallucinations, less alert, slowed response times, restlessness, disorientation (mean and nasty behavior), physical dependence, lost short term memory loss/anterograde amnesia Z drugs do not affect breathing ability, but when combined with alcohol can result in death *Ambien has a very short window of detection Therapeutic guideline is 8 hrs after taking must be available for sleeping; also called
Sedatives and Anesthetics ·         Ketamine	20 min	Hallucinations  & anesthesia effects < 1 hr Coordination & impaired judgment 6-24 hrs	Drowsiness, disorientation, dizzy, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, respiratory depression Large amts of ketamine results in “k hole” user has no idea of what is occurring around her
Over the Counter drugs Benadryl, robitussin	15-30 min	4-12 hrs	Sedation, hallucination, confusion, short-term memory loss, agitation, euphoria, psychosis
Others ecstasy, meth, “bath salts”		4-6 hrs	Confusion, depression, euphoria, lack of inhibition, anxiety, sleeplessness, chills, sweating, blurred vision, fainting

Questions to ask What symptoms did the victim describe? How long was the victim unconscious? How much alcohol did the victim consume? Did the victim take any drugs (recreational, prescription, or over-the-counter)? What drugs do the suspect or suspects have available to use?

Potential victims of DFSA may:

Delay reporting

Be more likely to report partying and/or drinking

Have consumed OTC or street drugs in previous 72 hours

Become emotional when realizing that memory is absent

Have lower occurrence of genital injury

Be less likely to be in a previous sexual relationship with the perpetrator

Not totally lose consciousness, and may appear tranquil, intoxicated, talkative but not able to recall any of this later

Present to ED with physical injuries associated with intoxication: bruises, lacerations, broken bones