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As the executive director of the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, toxicologist Barry Logan contributes to the science behind crime scene laboratories. In a recent article, Barry Logan commented on a problem many toxicologists are tasked with analyzing - overdoses from synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl.
Synthetic opioids are much stronger than traditionally prescribed opiates, such as morphine. People who manufacture synthetics often use research from the 1970s, when scientists were actively seeking alternatives to morphine. The process is hit-and-miss and thousands of variations - some of them differing from the original by only one molecule - have entered the market.
These new drugs are not yet covered by existing laws, so prosecuting makers is almost impossible. There is a 1986 law banning so-called designer drugs, but making a case is challenging, due in part to jurors not grasping the complexities of drug creation. The federal government can modify existing regulations, but such changes are generally only effective for two to three years.
