Science AMA Series: I’m Kevin Lothridge, forensic chemist and CEO of the
National Forensic Science Technology Center. I’m here to talk about the
challenges synthetic drugs are creating for forensic laboratories and
crime scene investigators. AMA!
Abstract
Hi reddit! I am Kevin Lothridge, CEO of the National Forensic Science
Technology Center (NFSTC) in Largo, Florida. I’ve been working in
forensic science since taking my first job nearly 30 years ago. At
NFSTC, I have been able to work with a great team to train law
enforcement agencies on the ever-changing technologies in forensic
science. Notable now is the shift in street drugs – specifically with
synthetic cannabinoids and fentanyl hitting the streets, field officers
and crime laboratory chemists are facing new challenges. When I worked
in the crime labs, most of the compounds were organic like marijuana,
cocaine and heroin, which were easier to identify and less dangerous to
officers. That’s simply no longer the case. Most famously implicated in
the death of Prince, synthetic drugs like Fentanyl are far more toxic
than their predecessors. Fentanyl, for example, can be breathed in or
absorbed through the skin with potentially lethal consequences to
officers and laboratory personnel. Last month, NFSTC issued its first
PSA/Officer warning on the handling of such chemicals. In 2015, we
presented a scientific poster at the American Society of Crime Lab
Directors (ASCLD) annual conference on bringing higher level detection
technologies into the field as part of an overall plan to improve public
safety. I’ll be back at 1 p.m. EST to answer your questions about the
dangers of modern synthetic street drugs and how to properly identify
them. Edit: I’m so glad to be here and see that we have great questions.
It’s National Forensic Science Week–a perfect time to learn more about
street chemistry. Let’s get started… Edit: Thanks for all the
great questions. It was a perfect way to spend my cake day with my
second AMA. For more on the work of NFSTC, check out www.nfstc.org or
our social media channels.