Update - powdered Ketamine gives a positive violet reaction in the ODV Valium Reagent 925/7625.
Certification Classes
ODV has become the standard by which narcotic field test certification classes are now judged. With three (3) qualified Instructors each conducting certification training at not only the Local, County and State levels, but also at the DEA two week schools across the country, Departments are clamoring for qualified training.
These training sessions are all conducted at the Host Department at No Charge. In order that the scheduling of overtime becomes less difficult, we are willing to conduct multiple sessions in a day. Each session will last between 2 1/2 and 3 hours and include:
- A slide presentation introducing field testing, the safety aspects, the do's and don'ts of field testing, and the proper interpretation of colors within the tests.
- The introduction of the proper method to distinguish between Amphetamine and Methamphetamine using field tests.
- The elimination of many falsehoods concerning field tests and the establishment of proper testing protocols.
- Hands on testing of the various substances your jurisdiction is concerned with most. (The Host Department will provide the actual controlled substance and ODV will provide the field tests.)
- All Officers successfully completing the course will receive a Certificate of Competency designed for Court purposes to show their completion of a manufacturers training program.
ODV will provide all of the necessary training aids for the sessions. In order to schedule a training session for your jurisdiction, please call us at 1-800-852-0300.
California Narcotics Officer's Conference
Are you planning to attend? ODV is pleased to be exhibiting at the 1998 CNOA Conference to be held in San Diego, California on November 21-24. In the past the CNOA has been the leader in Narcotics Officer's training and information with this year's Conference promising to be another tremendous success.
If your Agency has not already seen or tested the new Methamphetamine specific field test, please drop by our booth to arrange for your free test and evaluation sample. See you in San Diego!
When is Your State's Narcotics Conference?
ODV has made a continuing effort to support the State Narcotics Officer's Conferences across the country. We are already exhibiting at many of these seminars and want to ensure we do not miss your State's meeting. Your cooperation in contacting our office with the dates, location, contact name and phone number of your State Conference would be appreciated. We look forward to seeing you in the coming year.
Heroin Mistaken for Cocaine?
In past Newsletters we have explored the problems associated with Officers misusing the Cocaine Reagent #904B. Even though it is a constant topic at all Certification seminars, in our Newsletters and in all of our general instruction, the problem continues to exist.
How can two substances so different chemically create the same end reaction within the Cocaine field test? Very simply . . . by not following the prescribed instructions.
The Cocaine Reagent #904B is very specific for two common controlled substances, Cocaine HCl and Crack. Many Officers use this field test too quickly and believe that the end justifies the means. It does not.
You will never mistake Heroin for Cocaine if you follow these simple steps:
1. Upon breakage and agitation in the first ampoule, you must develop some blue presence within the pouch. This blue presence may be a solid blue solution (Cocaine HCl), blue adhering to the particles you place into the pouch (Crack), or any blue which may be present along the bottom of the pouch or in the corners of the pouch. IF NO BLUE PRESENCE APPEARS, STOP TESTING AND SEND THE SUBSTANCE TO THE CRIME LAB FOR ANALYSIS.
2 If you have some blue presence, break and agitate the second ampoule. Following brief agitation, the blue color will disappear and a solid pink solution will develop. IF THIS SOLUTION REMAINS BLUE, STOP TESTING AND SEND THE SUBSTANCE TO THE CRIME LAB FOR ANALYSIS.
3. Upon the development of a pink solution, break and agitate the third ampoule.
4. Grasping the pouch by the side, rap it firmly against a hard surface to force the glass shards to one side, then gently roll the pouch back in the opposite direction to a 45° angle. The colors will slowly separate into a pink over blue layering.
In order to have a positive Cocaine HCl or Crack test, you must have all three ampoules react in a positive manner as described above.
How then do we explain Heroin turning positive in the Cocaine test? Very simply...we do not concern ourselves with the reaction of the first two ampoules. That is, we ignore the test protocol of blue - pink - pink over blue. High grade Heroin gives a final pink over blue reaction after breaking the third and final ampoule, but does not give a positive reaction in ampoule number one. No blue in the first ampoule means NO Cocaine, and therefore you should STOP testing in the cocaine test (breaking the last two ampoule serves NO purpose as the test is ALREADY negative. By slowing down and insuring we do receive three positive reactions will eliminate the possibility of mistaking Heroin for Cocaine.
What is the Marquis Reagent?
For many years the Marquis Reagent has been hailed as the be all and end all of narcotic field testing for both Opiates and Amphetamine-like compounds. But, is it?
The Marquis turns Orange to Purple when Opiates are introduced into the test. However, there are a great many substances which turn Purple in the Marquis and not all of them are controlled substances and certainly not all of them are Opiate based.
The Marquis also turns Orange to Brown when Amphetamine-like compounds are introduced into the test. First, Officers must be aware of the time frame in which this color change occurs (12 seconds maximum) and secondly, the Marquis does not separate Amphetamine from Methamphetamine.
Opiates (Heroin)
The Marquis is an excellent GENERAL SCREENING DEVICE. Whenever an Officer has no idea what a specific substance might be, the Marquis can invariably put that Officer on the right track. However, to stop testing after the initial Marquis is wrong. If a Purple color presents itself, do a second test using the specific Mecke's Reagent. This test will eliminate any possible false positives and allow the Officer a much higher comfort level when submitting his evidence to the Crime Lab. If you already suspect the substance you have is Heroin (White, Brown or Black Tar), ignore the Marquis Reagent entirely and head directly to the specific chemistry of Mecke's.
Amphetamine/Methamphetamine
The Marquis has long been used as the stand alone test for Amphetamines and Methamphetamine. If you follow the stringent rules of watching for the color change of Orange to Brown within the specific time frame of 12 seconds, you can distinguish that you have one of these two substances. Many look-a-like substances may turn Orange initially. Only Amphetamine-like compounds will make the color change Orange to Brown within 12 seconds. There is an old wives tale used to distinguish Amphetamine from Methamphetamine simply by the speed it turned Orange to Brown. THIS IS TOTALLY FALSE. No relationship can be drawn by the speed the Marquis turns Orange to Brown except that the substance is an Amphetamine-like compound if that time frame is inside 12 seconds.
To distinguish between the two compounds, use the new Methamphetamine Reagent (#923 pouches or #7623 tubes). A very small amount of substance is required. If after the breakage of the ampoules you have an immediate dark blue color, you have identified Methamphetamine. If the color turns pink and then slowly to a reddish brown, the substance is Amphetamine. Note: This conclusion is possible ONLY AFTER obtaining the orange to brown reaction in Marquis, since this pink is simply the color of the reagent itself in a blank or control.
If the Marquis Reagent is used properly, it is an invaluable tool for Narcotics Officers. To abuse this test and ask it to do more than it is capable of is wrong. Please adjust your use and conform to the abilities this test is capable of delivering.
Distinguishing Methamphetamine from Amphetamine
More and more States across the country are distinguishing Methamphetamine from Amphetamine in their sentencing. They have identified the increased dangers Meth is presenting to our communities and have addressed this with much stiffer penalties.
Certainly the Federal laws already have this distinction. As the Meth epidemic sweeps across the country, more and more States are following this distinction in the law.
This distinction now forces Law Enforcement Officials with the difficulty of telling the difference at the time initial charges are being laid. The old method of simply doing a Marquis Reagent (Orange to Brown in 12 seconds) and forwarding the evidence to the Crime Lab for distinction is not enough. Defense Attorneys are willing to make deals with Prosecutors on the initial charges of Amphetamine-like compounds prior to the Crime Lab report being submitted. This allows criminals guilty of Methamphetamine offenses to walk on lesser charges of Amphetamine offenses. With the huge burden Crime Labs currently have, it is unreasonable to expect them to turn samples around in the time required by the Prosecution. Keeping these problems in mind, enter the new Methamphetamine Reagent (#923 pouch or #7623 tube).
In the past, some Narcotics Officers would try to make the distinction using old, outdated methods of either the Nitric Acid Reagent or the Mandelin Reagent. Neither of these tests are reliable methods of distinction and the Nitric Acid method is highly dangerous for Narcotics Officers to use. The new Methamphetamine Reagent is water based, safe, and more importantly, extremely reliable. One of the popular methods our Crime Labs use in distinguishing between Amphetamine and Methamphetamine is the Sodium Nitroprusside test. The new Meth Reagent is the Sodium Nitroprusside test put in a safe and portable field test form.
To receive samples of this new test for evaluation purposes, please contact our office at 1-800-852-0300. We will be pleased to assist you in any way possible to fight this serious Methamphetamine epidemic that has struck our country.
Submission of ideas for consideration: Do you have an article of interest or a question for us? Give us a call at 1-800-852-0300 and we will be happy to include it next time.
ODV, Inc. - 13386 International Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32218 U.S.A.
©1998 ODV, Inc. All rights reserved.