Acryloylfentanyl, a recently emerged new psychoactive substance: a comprehensive review

Assessing the toxicological significance of new psychoactive substances in fatalities

“…Once in Europe, some of the substances are processed into products before packaging and sale. This includes herbal smoking mixtures laced with synthetic cannabinoids – generally known as ‘Spice’ – as well as the more recent development of ready‐to‐use nasal sprays and e‐liquids for use in electronic cigarettes containing fentanyl analogues . Some of these substances are sold in specialized high‐street shops and their counterparts on the surface web – typically as branded ‘legal high’ products or ‘research chemicals’ – as well as on anonymous marketplaces on darknets and on the existing illicit market for drugs .…”

“…Most recently in Europe, this includes an increase in the number and availability of fentanils detected, with some 20 appearing on the market since 2012, including 8 detected for the first time in 2016 alone . Responding to this development, the EMCDDA has strengthened its early warning and response activities to such potent opioids including launching detailed investigations into five of them – acetylfentanyl, acryloylfentanyl, furanylfentanyl, 4‐fluoro‐isobutyrylfentanyl and tetrahydrofuranylfentanyl – following reports of more than one hundred deaths between them …”

“…This includes herbal smoking mixtures laced with synthetic cannabinoidsgenerally known as 'Spice' 9,17as well as the more recent development of ready-to-use nasal sprays and e-liquids for use in electronic cigarettes containing fentanyl analogues. 18,19 Some of these substances are sold in specialized high-street shops and their counterparts on the surface webtypically as branded 'legal high' products or 'research chemicals'as well as on anonymous marketplaces on darknets 20,21 and on the existing illicit market for drugs. 3 Importantly, new substances may be sold as substances and products in their own right as well as passed off to unsuspecting users as illicit drugs such as heroin, cocaine, 'Ecstasy', and benzodiazepines.…”

“…4 Responding to this development, the EMCDDA has strengthened its early warning and response activities to such potent opioids including launching detailed investigations into five of themacetylfentanyl, acryloylfentanyl, furanylfentanyl, 4-fluoro-isobutyrylfentanyl and tetrahydrofuranylfentanylfollowing reports of more than one hundred deaths between them. 18,19,23,24 The fallout from the growth in the market for new substances has been an increase in the number of serious adverse eventsparticularly non-fatal and fatal poisonings. 4,6 As part of its overall response to the growth in the market, the EMCDDA has undertaken a rolling programme of work over the past few years to strengthen key systems which form part of its early warning and response activities.…”

Characteristics of opioid‐maintained clients smoking fentanyl patches: The importance of confirmatory drug analysis illustrated by a case series and mini‐review

“…Multiple sources of fentanyl contribute to the overall supply, including pharmaceutical fentanyl diverted to the illicit market, and illicitly manufactured fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, also known as fentanils . Over the last 10 years, a number of fentanyl analogues, such as acrylfentanyl, furanylfentanyl, acetylfentanyl, ortho ‐fluorofentanyl, and carfentanil, have been detected in the EU . These substances have been linked to over 100 deaths across the EU and a number of acute intoxications…”