NCJ Number
181277
Journal
Legal Medicine Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: September 1999 Pages: 140-144
Date Published
1999
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The authors measured concentrations of morphine, codeine, and 6-monoacetylmorphine in the urine of people admitted to the Los Angeles County University of Southern California Medical Center.
Abstract
Of 60 patients positive for morphine and/or codeine, 10 were judged to be heroin abusers based on positive results for 6-monoacetylmorphine, a specific metabolite of heroin. In 9 of the 10 patients, morphine and codeine were detected; the morphine-to-codeine ratios were 3.65-228 and 2.27-207 for the free forms and total amounts of these opiates, respectively. Based on the study data and on literature data, the following criteria are proposed for judging heroin use from the results of urinalysis, especially when no 6-monoacetylmorphine is detected: (1) a detectable amount of free morphine exists and the concentration of total morphine is higher than 10 micrograms/ml; (2) a detectable amount of codeine exists; and (3) the morphine-to-codeine ratio is higher than 2 for both free forms and total amounts of these opiates. 21 references and 1 table