Analysis of hair can help determine if a person has or has not used drugs over a period of time. Heroin use can be determined based on detection of morphine, codeine and/or heroin metabolites such as 6-acetylmorphine.
Criteria for differentiation of heroin use from other forms of opiate use:
(1) ratio of morphine to heroin
(1a) If the morphine concentration in the hair is < 1 ng/mg, then ratio must be > 5:1
(1b) If the morphine concentration in the hair is >= 1 ng/mg, then ratio must be > 2:1
(2) presence of any quantity of 6-acetylmorphine (6-acetylmorphine can only be derived from metabolism of heroin, so is specific for its use.)
Limitations of hair analysis:
• The actual date of drug use during the period of hair growth cannot be determined.
• Some potential for environmental contamination.
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