An Introduction to Forensic Science and the Analysis of Kush
Guest Speaker: Professor Michael Cole
In this episode titled “An Introduction to Forensic Science and the Analysis of Kush”, we discuss drug chemistry, forensic science and synthetic substances with Professor Michael Cole.
The conversation starts with an introduction to drug chemistry, its components, and why it plays a crucial role in forensic science. We then talk about how forensic scientists approach the study of new novel psychoactive substances, especially concerning their toxicity accompanied by unknown long-term effects
Prof. Cole shares insights from his work using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and how it has been used to characterise substances such as nyapoe. Interestingly, Prof. Cole sheds light on how his work in forensic science has informed policy, specifically surrounding drug classification.
Our discussion then shifts to Kush, a dangerous synthetic drug which has found predominantly used in West African countries. Prof. Cole addresses the mystery surrounding Kush’s composition and addresses speculations around whether human bones are part of Kush’s composition. This leads to Prof. Cole explaining further the trends seen in the evolution of synthetic drugs like Kush and the difficulties forensic scientists face in keeping up with new variations of synthetic drugs.
This episode not only expands our understanding of forensic science, but also deepens our knowledge on substance such as Kush, and the ongoing developments in identifying and analysing synthetic drugs.
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