Attention all Chemists! Urgent Help required..

[bigOz]

I urgently need help on a topic of discussion with a close friend, who feels he has been set up by the CPS concerning some residue of a controlled drug.

 

The CPS are claiming that very small traces of narcotine, monactylmorphine and morphine were found on a surface, and because:

 

1. monactylmorphine is a breakdown product of diamorphine (heroin),

 

2. It in turn breaks down into morphine,

 

3. monactylmorphine is commonly seen along with narcotine in illicit drugs,

 

4. Diamorphine residue would break down (by itself) into monactylmorphine and morphine, over a period of 10 years or more,

 

it is a proof that the traces found were once diamorphine (heroin).

 

What's not clear above is:

 

a) Would diamorphine really break up over a period of 10 years or more into the chemical residues mentioned above, at its own accord?

 

b) Are there any other products/substances besides heroin that can leave such a residue over time? (I found out narcotine is sold and used legally in medication)

 

c) what other prescribed products may contain monactylmorphine - especially in powder form if there are any, as an alternative to heroin being its source?

 

c) Would narcotine break up into monactylmorphine and morphine over a long period of time?

 

d) Is there any official research into breaking up of chemicals like heroin over a time period, or a list of such chemicals with their expected life spans? If so where can I get the information from, online?

 

Any help on the subject will be very much appreciated - thanks!

[YT2095]

well before ANY of us are going to get someone that could be Guilty off the hook, How do you Know that he Hasn`t been "using"?

 

you mention 10 years quite specificly, and then Question it!? Why 10 Years? it`s a little bit Specific isn`t it?

[bigOz]

well before ANY of us are going to get someone that could be Guilty off the hook, How do you Know that he Hasn`t been "using"?

 

you mention 10 years quite specificly, and then Question it!? Why 10 Years? it`s a little bit Specific isn`t it?

 

I know because he is not alone and his partner is avery respectable proffessional who is in charge of their financial and social affairs. In any case, if there is anyone on this site who is qualified to give a full and accurate opinion, it is more than likely they will refer their solicitor to contact him / her and pay for their services for a formal report.

 

As for the 10 years, that is what the CPS is saying, because apparently, the residues discovered could only have been left there 10 years ago!

[YT2095]

then even if it WAS a crime of drug use 10 years ago, the statute of limitations negates their case for such things, 7 years I beleive is the limit for "trivial" offenses such as this.

 

can they prove it was ALWAYS his desk?, and show the history prior to this including ALL people that may have used it whilst belonging to him while he was absent?

 

and yes there`s a Pletora of medicines that can leave such a trace, OTC and prescription, and for all you know he could have had poppies drying there for the seeds to make a Bagel!

 

why are they interested in him in the 1`st place anyway????

[jdurg]

Well with poppy seeds there is a definitive ratio of codeine, morphine and narcotine which will help differentiate between poppy seed consumption and opiate use in a drug test. (Yes the initial, cheap screening of a blood/urine sample will test positive but the more refined GC/MS confirmation will show the ratio to be that of poppy seed ingestiong).

 

Anyway, in the United Kingdom Heroin (diamorphine) is a prescription drug. However it is typically only prescribed for terminally ill cancer patients. Monoacetylmorphine is only a breakdown product of heroin, or the main side product when one attempts to generate heroin without the use of acetic anhydride. I am not willing to provide a definitive statement on any of this, but it doesn't looked good for your friend. Narcotine and morphine and natural components of raw opium, and monoacetylmorphine is ONLY present from a homemade attempt at heroin production, or as a breakdown product of heroin. At elevated temperatures, such as those that would be found if one was attempting to "cook" a batch, heroin itself will break down into monoacetylmorphine. The heat of a burning cigarette is hot enough to begin the decomposition. The presence of the three compounds mentioned in your original post all combine to paint a not so good picture. While your friend may not have been involved in any heroin production, it sounds like someone he has contact with was.

[bigOz]

OK thanks! Perhaps soneone can answer a simpler question. Is it possible to rinse the same area of say an adhesive surface using chemicals twice?

 

In this case, the first time it was rinsed, they discovered traces of cocaine and no heroin. The second time they rinse the same area (1 year later) and discover narcotine, morphine etc.

 

How's that possible?

[YT2095]

Cocaine`s quite readily found on paper money, Most notes will test positive for coke!

[badmen4life]

He is obviously an addict:-p