DEA Drug Pharmacology & Identification 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which synthetic opioid is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and has been responsible for a large number of overdose deaths in the current opioid crisis?
- Hydrocodone
- Oxycodone
- Fentanyl (Correct answer)
- Tramadol
Correct answer: Fentanyl
Fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine by weight, meaning a lethal dose can be measured in micrograms, making accidental overdose extremely easy.
Question 2: MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is classified primarily as a:
- Psychedelic hallucinogen with no stimulant properties
- Entactogen/empathogen with both stimulant and mild hallucinogenic properties (Correct answer)
- Pure stimulant similar to amphetamine
- Depressant similar to GHB
Correct answer: Entactogen/empathogen with both stimulant and mild hallucinogenic properties
MDMA is classified as an entactogen because it primarily produces feelings of emotional closeness while also having stimulant effects and mild perceptual alterations.
Question 3: Which of the following cannabinoids is primarily responsible for the psychoactive 'high' produced by marijuana?
- Cannabidiol (CBD)
- Cannabinol (CBN)
- Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (Correct answer)
- Cannabigerol (CBG)
Correct answer: Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
Delta-9-THC is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, binding to CB1 receptors in the brain to produce intoxication, altered perception, and euphoria.
Question 4: Phencyclidine (PCP) produces its dissociative effects primarily through:
- Agonism at kappa-opioid receptors
- Antagonism at NMDA glutamate receptors (Correct answer)
- Agonism at serotonin 5-HT2A receptors
- Antagonism at dopamine D2 receptors
Correct answer: Antagonism at NMDA glutamate receptors
PCP blocks NMDA receptors in the brain, disrupting glutamate neurotransmission and producing dissociative anesthesia, hallucinations, and extreme behavioral changes.
Question 5: A person under the influence of cocaine may exhibit all of the following EXCEPT:
- Elevated heart rate and blood pressure
- Dilated pupils (mydriasis)
- Decreased body temperature (hypothermia) (Correct answer)
- Increased energy and reduced appetite
Correct answer: Decreased body temperature (hypothermia)
Cocaine is a stimulant that causes hyperthermia (elevated body temperature) due to increased metabolic activity and vasoconstriction, not hypothermia.
Question 6: The Duquenois-Levine test is the standard field test used to presumptively identify:
- Cocaine hydrochloride
- Heroin
- Cannabis (marijuana) (Correct answer)
- Methamphetamine
Correct answer: Cannabis (marijuana)
The Duquenois-Levine test produces a purple-to-violet color reaction in the presence of cannabis plant material and is widely used in law enforcement field testing.
Question 7: Which term describes the phenomenon where repeated exposure to a drug results in a diminished response, requiring higher doses to achieve the same effect?
- Sensitization
- Tolerance (Correct answer)
- Withdrawal
- Cross-dependence
Correct answer: Tolerance
Tolerance occurs when the body adapts to a drug's presence, often through receptor downregulation or altered metabolism, requiring increased doses for equivalent effects.
DEA Drug Pharmacology & Identification 3
Which synthetic opioid is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and has been responsible for a large number of overdose deaths in the current opioid crisis?