Beyond Color Tests: NIR Narcotics Identification

Learn how NIR narcotics identification can help law enforcement move beyond color tests with specific drug ID, purity data, and defensible reporting.


Colorimetric drug tests have long been used for field narcotics screening, but documented false positives and evolving evidentiary standards are driving agencies to consider more defensible alternatives. This white paper examines the scientific and legal limitations of color tests and explores how near-infrared spectroscopy provides specific compound identification based on molecular spectral fingerprints. It also details how NIRLab adds purity quantification, ISO 17025-traceable validation, and automated chain-of-custody reporting to support more confident field drug identification.

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