scholarly journals Forensic Analysis of Illicit Drugs and Novel Psychoactive Substances in Wastewater: A review of Toxicological, Chemical and Microbiological Aspects

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Campos ◽  
Elaine De Martinis ◽  
Bruno De Martinis
Keyword(s):  
Drug Use ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Forensic Analysis ◽  
Novel Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Main Concept ◽  
Analytical Strategy ◽  
Microbiological Aspects

Wastewater-based epidemiology has emerged as a new analytical strategy for monitoring licit and illicit drug use in a population by measuring the levels of biomarkers in wastewater. The main concept of this approach is that chemical substances ingested by the population will be excreted in urine and feces, which will be discarded into the sewage network and may accumulate at the wastewater treatment plant. Several licit and illicit substances such as ethanol, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine and morphine have been investigated and reported in wastewater in worldwide. In recent years, this approach has also been explored for environmental monitoring of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) as well, since analyses of wastewater represent a fast and cost-effective way to evaluate collectively drug intake in a given population served by a sewage network. In this paper, a comprehensive and interdisciplinary review of the forensic, toxicological, chemical and microbiological aspects of the analysis of “traditional” drugs of abuse and NPS in wastewater and examples of applications reported in recently published papers is provided. Wastewater analysis is a very promising strategy in monitoring drug use in the context of Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology, and has been implemented by many researchers in the analysis of drugs of abuse, as supported by many recent literature reports.

A prospective observational study of emergency department presentations following novel psychoactive substance use

2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E Henshall ◽  
Callum WD Innes ◽  
Scott R Morrison ◽  
Blair Wilson ◽  
Ryan A Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Behavioural Change ◽  
Population Characteristics ◽  
Novel Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Unique Challenge ◽  
Patient Demographics ◽  
History Of

Background and aims Novel psychoactive substances are compounds intended to mimic the effects of illicit drugs. They provide a unique challenge to healthcare, as complications of their use and their impact on services are relatively unknown. This study aims to determine nature of presentations, patient demographics and impact on healthcare. Methods Novel psychoactive substances users who presented to a large urban emergency department over 4 weeks were prospectively identified and followed for 1 year. Patients over 13 years old were eligible for inclusion. Information regarding patient demographics and presentations was collected. Results During the study period, 53 patients (39 male), mean age 32.6 ± 8.9 (±standard deviation), presented 148 times with complaints relating to novel psychoactive substances use. Study population characteristics included history of illicit drug use (83.0%), intravenous drug use (64.2%), psychiatric diagnosis or symptoms (56.6%), methadone prescription (52.8%) and having no fixed abode (37.7%). Injection was the most common method of use (72.3%), Burst the most commonly named agent (19.6%) and behavioural change the most common presenting complaint (31.1%). Patients collectively spent 10,620 h in hospital over 1 year. Conclusion This study highlights differences between the young population targeted by government campaigns regarding novel psychoactive substances use and the presenting population to hospital, and the associated burden on the National Health Service.

Novel psychoactive substances in a psychiatric young adults sample: A multicenter, observational study

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S311-S311
Author(s):  
M. Lupi ◽  
T. Acciavatti ◽  
S. Marini ◽  
E. Cinosi ◽  
R. Santacroce ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Binge Drinking ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Synthetic Cannabinoids ◽  
Clinical Effects ◽  
Novel Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Multicenter Observational Study ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Psychiatric Population

IntroductionComorbidities between psychiatric diseases and consumption of traditional substances of abuse are common. Nevertheless, there is no data regarding the use of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) in the psychiatric population.ObjectivesThe purpose of this multicentre survey is to investigate the consumption of a wide variety of psychoactive substances in a young psychiatric sample.MethodsBetween September 2013 and November 2015, a questionnaire has been administered, in ten Italian psychiatric care facilities, to a sample of 671 psychiatric patients (48.5% men; 51.5% women), aged between 18 and 26 years (mean age: 22.24).Results8.2% of the sample declared use of NPS at least once in a lifetime and 2.2% have assumed NPS in the last three months. The NPS more used were synthetic cannabinoids (4.5%), followed by methamphetamine (3.6%). The three psychiatric diagnosis with more frequent NPS consumption were bipolar disorder (23.1%), personality disorders (11.8%) and schizophrenia and related disorders (11.6%). Bipolar disorder was associated with NPS consumption (P < .001). Among the illicit drugs investigated, 31.4% of the sample was cannabis smoker and 10.7% cocaine user. Moreover, 70.6% of the sample declared alcohol use and 47.7% had binge drinking conducts. In univariate regression analysis, bipolar disorder was positive associated with binge drinking while obsessive compulsive disorder resulted negative associated.ConclusionsThe use of novel psychoactive substances in a young psychiatric population appears to be a frequent phenomenon, probably still underestimated. Bipolar disorder shows an association with NPS use. Therefore, careful and constant monitoring and accurate evaluations of possible clinical effects related to their use are necessary.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals “Hot” and “Cold” Cognition in Users of Club Drugs/Novel Psychoactive Substances

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Savulich ◽  
Owen Bowden-Jones ◽  
Robert Stephenson ◽  
Annette B. Brühl ◽  
Karen D. Ersche ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Sensation Seeking ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Neuropsychological Functioning ◽  
Neuropsychological Test ◽  
Childhood Adversity ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Novel Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Club Drugs ◽  
Psychoactive Substances

Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) are popular “club/party” drugs that first attracted attention in the UK in 2009 and remained legal until the 2016 Psychoactive Substances Act criminalized their distribution. Unlike “traditional” illicit drugs, very little is known about the influence of their analogs on neuropsychological functioning. We characterized the cognitive and emotional profile of NPS/polydrug users using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) and EMOTICOM test battery in adult male (aged 20–49 years) recreational users without psychiatric comorbidities (n = 27; “psychonauts”), service users attending a UK specialist “Club Drug” Clinic for problematic use (n = 20) and healthy control volunteers without significant drug-taking histories (n = 35). Tasks were selected to distinguish “hot” cognitive processes that are highly influenced by emotion from “cold” cognitive processes that are largely independent of emotional influence. Both user groups reported significantly higher sensation-seeking traits compared with non-users. Recreational NPS users demonstrated more risk-taking behavior compared with controls and treatment-seeking NPS users showed poorer learning, episodic memory and response inhibition compared with the other two groups. These effects persisted, when controlling for age, intelligence, alcohol and cannabis use severity, nicotine dependence, trait anxiety, depression, childhood adversity, impulsivity, and sensation seeking. Overall, recreational NPS users showed elevated “hot” (emotion-laden) cognition in the absence of “cold” (non-emotional) cognitive deficits, whereas “cold” cognitive dysfunction was pronounced in individuals seeking treatment for problematic NPS use. High trait impulsivity and poor self-control may confer additional risk to NPS/polydrug use severity and separate those seeking treatment from those using NPS recreationally.

scholarly journals Drugs of Abuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances at Outdoor Music Festivals in Colorado

2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (7) ◽  
pp. 1203-1211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Fox ◽  
Alexis Smith ◽  
Alexander Yale ◽  
Christopher Chow ◽  
Elsa Alaswad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Novel Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Music Festivals

scholarly journals Cartilha sobre prevenção do uso de drogas para adolescentes

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1106
Author(s):  
Maria Ivone Leal De Moura ◽  
Juçara Barroso Leal ◽  
Juliane Barroso Leal ◽  
Victorugo Guedes Alencar Correia ◽  
Joaline Barroso Portela Leal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Educational Technology ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Drug Users ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Development Evaluation ◽  
Style Of Writing ◽  
Tecnología Educativa

RESUMOObjetivo: descrever o processo de produção e validação de uma cartilha educativa direcionada a adolescentes sobre as principais drogas de abuso. Método: trata-se de um estudo quantitativo do tipo metodológico com desenvolvimento, avaliação e aperfeiçoamento de uma cartilha dividida em três fases: a primeira foi a construção, com revisão integrativa da literatura, onde se analisaram as publicações disponíveis sobre prevenção do uso de drogas por adolescentes; a segunda fase foi a validação do material por intermédio de juízes, onde se avaliaram o conteúdo, a linguagem e a aparência da tecnologia educativa; a terceira fase consistiu-se da validação por 40 adolescentes, avaliando o estilo de escrita, a aparência e a apresentação. Utilizaram-se dois instrumentos diferentes para a avaliação e o Índice de Validade de Conteúdo (IVC) para a concordância da cartilha. Resultados: produziu-se o material educativo e validou-se com análise estatística ratificada pelo IVC igual a 0,83, com concordância aceita e o nível de concordância de 97,5% pelos adolescentes. Conclusão: pode-se afirmar que a cartilha intitulada “Drogas: como prevenir?” se mostrou um instrumento válido e confiável para ser utilizado na promoção da saúde e prevenção de drogas em adolescentes. Descritores: Adolescência e Substâncias; Usuários de Drogas; Tecnologia Educacional; Drogas Ilícitas; Comportamento de Risco; Estudos de Validação.ABSTRACT Objective: to describe the process of production and validation of an educative booklet targeted at teenagers on the main drugs of abuse. Method: this is a quantitative study of methodological type. The development, evaluation and improvement of the primer was divided into three stages: the construction with an integrative review of literature, where it analyzed the publications available on prevention of drug use by adolescents; the validation of the material through judges, where they evaluated the content, the language and the appearance of educational technology; and the validation by 40 adolescents evaluating the style of writing, the appearance and presentation. We used two different instruments for the assessment and the Content Validity Index (CVI) for the concordance of the booklet. Results: it produced the educational material and validated with statistical analysis ratified by the CVI equal to 0.83, with concordance accepts and the level of concordance of 97.5% by teenagers. Conclusion: it can be argued that the booklet entitled “Drugs: how to prevent?” proved to be a valid and reliable tool to be used on health promotion and prevention of drug use in adolescents. Descriptors: Adolescence and Substances; Drug Users; Educational Technology; Illicit Drugs; Risk Behavior; Validation Studies.RESUMEN Objetivo: describir el proceso de producción y la validación de un folleto educativo dirigido a los adolescentes enfocando las principales drogas de abuso. Método: se trata de un estudio cuantitativo del tipo metodológico con desarrollo, evaluación y mejora de una imprimación dividida en tres etapas: la primera fue la construcción, con la revisión de la literatura integradora, donde analizó las publicaciones disponibles acerca de la prevención contra el uso indebido de drogas por los adolescentes; la segunda fue la validación del material a través de los jueces, donde se evaluó el contenido, el lenguaje y la aparición de la tecnología educativa; la tercera etapa consistió en la validación por 40 adolescentes, evaluando el estilo de redacción, la apariencia y la presentación. Se aplican dos tipos de herramientas para la evaluación y el índice de validez de contenido (CVI) para la concordancia del folleto. Resultados: los materiales educativos producidos y validados con análisis estadísticos ratificados por el CVI igual a 0,83, con concordancia acepta y el nivel de concordancia de 97,5% de los adolescentes. Conclusión: se puede argumentar que el folleto titulado “?Drogas: cómo prevenir?” resultó ser un instrumento válido y fiable para ser usado en la promoción de la salud y prevención del consumo de drogas en los adolescentes. Descriptores: Adolescencia y Sustancias; Usuarios de Drogas; Tecnología Educativa; Drogas Ilícitas; Comportamiento de Riesgo; Estudios de Validación.

scholarly journals Snapshot of narcotic drugs and psychoactive substances in Kuwait: a qualitative analysis of illicit drugs and their associated mortality in Kuwait from 2015 to 2018

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Al-Matrouk ◽  
Mohammed Al-Hasan ◽  
Neamat Al-Abkal ◽  
Hanan Mohammed ◽  
Meshaal Haider ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Drug Misuse ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Gulf Region ◽  
Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Narcotic Drugs

Abstract Background The misuse of illicit substances is associated with increased morbidity and mortality; thus, substance abuse is a global health concern. However, a lack of laboratory-based research has limited the scientific assessment of drug misuse in the Arabian Gulf region. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to assess the problem of illicit drugs in Kuwait using laboratory-based analyses. Methods We investigated the type and quantity of detained narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances from 2015 to 2018, number of abusers, and mortality among abusers. In total, 6220 cases from the Narcotic and Psychotropic Laboratory and 17,755 cases from the Forensic Toxicology Laboratory were reviewed and analyzed. Substances were identified and documented using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results Cannabis, including marijuana, was the most seized substance, followed by heroin, opium, and cocaine. Amphetamines, including methamphetamine, in the form of powder or pills, were seized in larger quantities than other psychoactive substances. Benzodiazepines, tramadol, Khat, synthetic cannabinoids, and psilocin were also seized. The most consumed substances were, in order, amphetamines (including methamphetamine), benzodiazepines, cannabis, and heroin. Drug misuse was considerably higher among men than among women. We report the death rate associated with the abuse of various illegal drugs according to sex. The mortality rate associated with single-drug use was the highest among abusers of heroin, benzodiazepines, and methamphetamine. The mortality rate asscoaited with multiple-drug use was the highest among abusers of heroin–benzodiazepines, cannabis–benzodiazepines, and cannabis–amphetamines. Conclusions Our study shows the changing trends in quantity and variety of substances illegally abused and marketed in Kuwait. Additionally, we report a direct gender-based association between mortality and consumption of certain substances. These findings suggest that there is a growing need to conduct larger scale studies to implement new strategies, policies, and interventions in populations affected by illicit drugs.

Drug Use Disorder

2018 ◽  
pp. 305-338
Author(s):  
Carol S. North ◽  
Sean H. Yutzy
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Structure ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Designer Drugs ◽  
Repeated Use ◽  
Physiological Symptoms ◽  
American Society ◽  
Drug Use Disorder ◽  
Over Time

Drug use disorder refers to the presence of any of a collection of drug-specific diagnoses that are characterized by cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptoms accompanying repeated use of a drug despite significant substance-related problems causing harm to the user or to others. Common drugs of abuse in contemporary American society include cannabinoids, opioids, amphetamines, cocaine, and many other drugs. The popularity of specific drugs has varied over time in relation to drug availability and cost. The most recent trend has been an influx of “designer drugs,” substances developed synthetically by manipulating the molecular structure to avoid classification as illicit drugs (hence circumventing prosecution) while retaining the psychoactive properties of illicit drugs.

scholarly journals Sex and Gender Differences in the Effects of Novel Psychoactive Substances

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 606
Author(s):  
Liana Fattore ◽  
Matteo Marti ◽  
Rafaela Mostallino ◽  
Maria Paola Castelli
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Subjective Effects ◽  
Synthetic Cannabinoids ◽  
New Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Sex And Gender ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Sex And Gender Differences

Sex and gender deeply affect the subjective effects and pharmaco-toxicological responses to drugs. Men are more likely than women to use almost all types of illicit drugs and to present to emergency departments for serious or fatal intoxications. However, women are just as likely as men to develop substance use disorders, and may be more susceptible to craving and relapse. Clinical and preclinical studies have shown important differences between males and females after administration of “classic” drugs of abuse (e.g., Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), morphine, cocaine). This scenario has become enormously complicated in the last decade with the overbearing appearance of the new psychoactive substances (NPS) that have emerged as alternatives to regulated drugs. To date, more than 900 NPS have been identified, and can be catalogued in different pharmacological categories including synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic stimulants (cathinones and amphetamine-like), hallucinogenic phenethylamines, synthetic opioids (fentanyls and non-fentanyls), new benzodiazepines and dissociative anesthetics (i.e., methoxetamine and phencyclidine-derivatives). This work collects the little knowledge reached so far on the effects of NPS in male and female animal and human subjects, highlighting how much sex and gender differences in the effects of NPS has yet to be studied and understood.

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