Inhalants of Abuse: Core Concepts

Course Description:

This course is part of our Core Concepts Series, which reviews potentially impairing drug classes from three scientific perspectives: Pharmacology, Forensic Toxicology, and Clinical Toxicology. A future supplemental series will add law enforcement and DRE perspectives for each drug class as well.

The pharmacology lecture for this course will explore mechanisms of action for inhalants, where known, and discuss other relevant parameters – such as their rapid absorption and subsequent inhibitory effects. Then in the forensic toxicology lecture, learners will explore the instability of inhalants, important considerations for minimizing their volatile nature in forensic samples, behavioral effects, and other forensic aspects of inhalant impairment. The course will be wrapped up with a clinical toxicology lecture that discuss the abuse patterns of inhalants in youth and clinical effects of inhalants on the body.

Recommended Learners:

DRE
Toxicologist
LEO

Dr. Jessica Ayala

Dr. Jessica Lynn Ayala is currently a Toxicology Supervisor at the Houston Forensic Science Center. Dr. Ayala has over a decade of toxicology experience working in public and private toxicology laboratories analyzing biological specimens for clinical, medicolegal, human performance, and drug facilitated investigations.
See full bio.

Amy Miles

Amy Miles is the Director of the Forensic Toxicology Program at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) and has over 20 years of experience in forensic toxicology. Amy provides expert court testimony and interpretation of laboratory reports for coroners, medical examiners, attorneys, and law enforcement officers. See full bio.

Dr. Ahmed Mostafa

Dr. Mostafa is a board certified emergency physician currently practicing in the state of New York. He received his medical degree from Cairo University, Egypt, and has completed his residency training in Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar, as well as Crozer Chester Medical Center, PA.See full bio.

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Course Content

Pharmacology

INH Pharm 1 – Pharmacology of Inhalants

Forensic Toxicology

INH FT1: Effects, Examples, and Metabolism of Inhalants

INH FT 2: Laboratory Analysis of Inhalants

Clinical Toxicology

INH CT1: Clinical Toxicology of Inhalants

Inhalants of Abuse: Core Concepts

Course Description:

Recommended Learners:

DRE
Toxicologist
LEO

This course has been reviewed by ABFT and determined to be acceptable for submission to the ABFT for continuing education credit.

Dr. Michelle Peace

Dr. Peace is a forensic toxicologist and a Full Professor in the FEPAC-accredited Department of Forensic Science at VCU and is one of the founding faculty for the Department. She served as Associate Chair and Chair for nearly a decade. See full bio.

Joseph Jones, MS

Mr. Jones has been working in forensic science since 2006, and today is the System Director for the North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory. In this capacity, he serves in an executive role overseeing two forensic laboratories and an evidence hub in the northern 29 parishes of Louisiana. See full bio.

Dr. Dayne Laskey

Dr. Laskey is an associate professor at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, CT. He received a PharmD from the University of Connecticut, completed his pharmacy practice residency at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, and his clinical toxicology fellowship from the Georgia Poison Center. See full bio.