It’s impossible to identify every type of pill, capsule, or tablet just by looking at it. There are thousands of prescription and over-the-counter medications on the market. After a while, you become accustomed to identifying the most commonly abused prescription drugs, such as Adderall or Oxycodone. However, if you know the right resources, identifying prescription pills is a relatively easy task that requires only a few minutes of your time to investigate your case, or keep your facility and/or clients safe.
The following are reliable ways I have used throughout my career to identify prescription drugs and other medications.
“Google it” (or any other web browser). This method is a relatively easy way to identify most medications very quickly. Enter the shape, color, and the inscription on the prescription medication into the search field. For example, “white round pill Watson 932”, will bring up a result for Acetaminophen 325mg/Oxycodone 10mg manufactured by Watson Pharmaceuticals. This type of search will help you quickly find a variety of website links to help you identify the medication. Click on one of the links, and you will likely find a website with a photo of the medication, along with a detailed description of its use, treatment, side effects, and a plethora of other information.
www.drugs.com. I have used this website’s prescription drug ID feature to identify many prescription medications throughout my career reliably, and I have also purchased their mobile app to use in the field. I have used the print out from their website in my police reports as a form of presumptive testing to support probable cause of an arrest for an illegally possessed prescription. Similar to the web browser search feature, put in the description of the medication and quickly get the results from their website, along with a convenient picture of the medication.
Poison Control Center Hotline. Before the popularity of the Internet and convenient website applications, calling the Poison Control Center Hotline at (800) 222-1222 was the go-to for many first responders and medical professionals. These hotline centers are staffed with medical professionals 24 hours a day. A phone call to them with the description of the medication you are investigating will give you a quick response with an identification. I have also witnessed doctors and nurses call the Poison Control Center for overdose treatments and other types of poisoning. Many “old school cops” still use the Poison Control Center Hotline to identify prescription medications during their investigations on the street.
Presumptive field testing. Many drug testing manufacturers still make presumptive drug test pouches for a variety of medications. The downside to using these field test pouches is they cost money, and using poison control or other website applications are free. These additional resources are as reliable, if not more reliable, than the presumptive drug test pouches. Also, in today’s age of fraudulent medications, you could be handling fentanyl or one of its analogues, and risk exposing yourself and suffering from an accidental overdose by using this method. Depending on your jurisdiction, prosecutors may require presumptive field testing to establish probable cause, but many have gotten away from this practice.
Drug ID Bible. Before the Internet became so accessible, the Drug ID Bible was a popular resource and a must-have for narcotics investigators and officers who specialize in drug enforcement. When I became a DRE, the Drug ID Bible issued to me was the size of a thick paperback book. Over the years, the Drug ID Bible became bigger and more expensive. The Drug ID Bible remains a great resource, but in my opinion, there are better ways noted above to identify prescription medications quickly. The price for these books is $49.95, but discounts are available for bulk purchases, and they also offer wall charts to identify drugs and signs of abuse. The Drug ID Bible has a ton of information on just about every illicit drug and abused prescription medication. This book has earned its “bible” title for the reliable information it provided over the years. Visit www.drugidbible.com for more information.
Unable to identify the tablet. If the suspected medication or pill has a worn or unusual design, you may have an illicit drug, such as ecstasy. Medicines produced by legitimate drug manufacturers have standardized processes, and worn tablets or unique designs not consistent with what you would find on a legitimately produced drug likely means you are dealing with an illicit substance. A small sample of the suspected drug in a Sodium Nitroprusside test pouch could reveal a positive test result for ecstasy or a similar psychedelic substance.
For many who work as first responders or in social welfare, coming across medications is part of the job. There are many types of prescription drug identification websites and mobile apps to help your investigation in today’s day and age for presumptive prescription drug identification. The above resources are what I have used throughout my career that helped me reliably identify prescription medications.