Forensic laboratory backlog: The impact of inconclusive results of marijuana analysis and the implication on analytical routine

Abstract

Forensic laboratories worldwide are struggling to keep up with the increasing number of cases submitted for analysis, regardless of the reasons, backlog of controlled substances cases is a reality in many countries. In this paper we analyse the number of petitioned examinations (from 2016 to 2020) and the data from 11,655 marijuana TLC results from the Forensic Laboratory in the Federal District Civil Police in Brazil. Data demonstrates that backlog increases inconclusive results, with storage and light playing a crucial role in the process. Additionally we explored the repercussions of delayed forensic results for controlled substances and propose an approach to overcome waiting time in this context.

Keywords: Backlog; Cannabis; Forensic laboratory; Stability; THC oxidation.