What is forensic toxicology?
Forensic Toxicology is the study and application of toxicology to the law. Forensic toxicologists conduct their work in the interests of truth (accuracy), justice (impartiality), and the public good. Each toxicologist knows that a toxicology report may ultimately be introduced as evidence in a court of law and that s/he may be asked to interpret and substantiate any opinions s/he may have formed based on the results. For this reason, it is essential that the forensic toxicologist be thoroughly familiar with legal practices and be professionally comfortable in a judicial setting.
The word “forensic” comes from the “Forum”. The Roman forum was a place where public debate took place. Our justice system is an adversarial system; one side (the plaintiff or prosecution) argues their side of the dispute and the other side (the defendant) argues theirs. Thus the adjective “forensic” is sometimes applied to debate, but has come into more common useage as pertaining to anything having to do with the courts. The word “toxicology” is the study of toxic things. More to the point, it is the study of toxic substances and how the effect living things. For the purposes of my practice, these toxic substances are drugs and poisons, and the living things are humans. Summing up, forensic toxicology is the study of drugs and poisons and their effects on the human body for the purposes of legal proceedings.
