Category: Forensic Toxicology
Forensic Toxicology Testing: Specimens, Methods and Interpretation
How forensic toxicology uses fit-for-purpose methods, different biological specimens, validation, quality control, and bounded interpretation of drug and alcohol results.
Why Police Field Drug Test Kits Produce False Positives
Police use a variety of “quick and reliable” drug tests that can easily be administered. But while they definitely are quick, they are not the most reliable. Despite concerns about inaccuracies, police field drug test kits are still used on a daily basis and contribute to false convictions.
Hair Follicle Testing: Uses, Limits and Contamination Risks
Hair follicle testing has risen in use to over 200,000 drug tests per year in the U.S. This type of drug testing analyzes the hair shaft for drug metabolites, as opposed to analyzing bodily fluids such as urine or saliva which are used in most other types of drug testing .
Breathalyzer Tests: Accuracy, Limitations and Legal Challenges
It’s not uncommon for law enforcement to use breathalyzer tests for estimating the blood alcohol content in a driver’s system. The controversial results of these tests are then used as a case for charging someone with a DUI.
How DNA Contamination Can Change a Court Case
When a crime occurs, scientists may use DNA evidence to ascertain who are possible suspects and, in some cases, find them guilty in court. Yet relying so heavily on such a sensitive test can have consequences, especially in criminal court cases.
Medical Marijuana Cards: Rights, Limits and What to Know
Legalizing marijuana continues to be a hot topic in the United States, whether speaking about recreational or medicinal use. At the time of printing, it was legal to purchase marijuana for medical use in 33 states – with more states, such as Kentucky , advancing bills for legalizing.
Sweat Patch Drug Testing: Accuracy and Limitations
Toxicology plays a large role in various legal cases by serving as evidence for or against the presence of drugs and alcohol in the human body. As the science of toxicology constantly progresses and advances, different methods are introduced to the industry.
Can Blood Tests Determine a Person’s Age?
Forensic Science has progressed over the years, with the advancements in blood testing proving to be extremely useful in many cases. Although TV shows today, such as CSI or True Detective, make blood testing and DNA analysis seem unsurpassable, the current forms of blood testing have had their…
The Opioid Epidemic: A Toxicology Report
The United States has paid a heavy toll for the nation’s opioid epidemic. Opioid-related deaths have placed a heavy burden on the country and one of the hidden impacts of this crisis is how it affects American pathologists across the United States.
New Drug-Testing Protocols: A Forensic Toxicologist’s Analysis
Forensic toxicologists all over the country are tasked with testing evidence collected from all of the crime scenes that law enforcement personnel investigate. This testing includes drug evidence from every crime scene imaginable, from homicides to simple traffic citations for drug possession…
DUI Alcohol Testing: Methods, Accuracy and Limitations
This article explains DUI Alcohol Testing: Methods, Accuracy and Limitations and the scientific, legal or practical evidence readers should understand.
How Drug-Testing Laboratories Preserve Sample Integrity
This article explains How Drug-Testing Laboratories Preserve Sample Integrity and the scientific, legal or practical evidence readers should understand.
