Consequences of COVID-19 Lockdown on the Misuse and Marketing of Addictive Substances and New Psychoactive Substances

Trana, Annagiulia Di; Carlier, Jérémy; Berretta, Paolo; Zaami, Simona; Ricci, Giovanna

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2020.584462

Cited by 38 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…New psychoactive substances (NPSs) ( 14 ) encountered a different fate. A diversification of the market was expected between January and June 2020 ( 12 , 15 ) due to shortages of treatment and classic opiate and opioid drugs ( 16 ) pushing users to synthetic available alternatives; lack of precursors for synthetic drugs diverting productions toward new NPS analogs; the economic problems and anxiety caused by the pandemic forcing PWUDs to use cheaper and seek more potent substances; and increased drug e-commerce that followed the restrictions of individual movements ( 12 ) facilitating the distribution of NPSs. The expected trend of PWUDs switching to and/or increasingly accessing counterfeit/unknown drugs online represents a serious health threat that should be investigated and monitored.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying New/Emerging Psychoactive Substances at the Time of COVID-19; A Web-Based Approach

et al. 2021

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COVID-19-related disruptions of people and goods' circulation can affect drug markets, especially for new psychoactive substances (NPSs). Drug shortages could cause a change in available NPS, with the introduction of new, unknown, substances. The aims of the current research were to use a web crawler, NPSfinder®, to identify and categorize emerging NPS discussed on a range of drug enthusiasts/psychonauts' websites/fora at the time of the pandemic; social media for these identified NPS were screened as well. The NPSfinder® was used here to automatically scan 24/7 a list of psychonaut websites and NPS online resources. The NPSs identified in the time frame between January and August 2020 were searched in both the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addictions (EMCDDA)/United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) databases and on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube) as well, with a content qualitative analysis having been carried out on reddit.com. Of a total of 229 NPSs being discussed at the time of the pandemic, some 18 NPSs were identified for the first time by the NPSfinder®. These included six cathinones, six opioids, two synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs), two phenylcyclohexylpiperidine (PCP)-like molecules, and two psychedelics. Of these NPSs, 10 were found to be previously unreported to either the UNODC or the EMCDDA. Of these 18 NPSs, opioids and cathinones were the most discussed on social media/reddit, with the highest number of threads associated. Current findings may support the use of both automated web crawlers and social listening approaches to identify emerging NPSs; the pandemic-related imposed restrictions may somehow influence the demand for specific NPS classes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying New/Emerging Psychoactive Substances at the Time of COVID-19; A Web-Based Approach

et al. 2021

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“…The legal restrictions modified their ability to access classic illicit drugs (e.g., heroin, cocaine, cannabinoids) and shifted consumptions towards prescription psychoactive drugs, frequently available at home or from the use of psychoactive recreational NPS (e.g., synthetic cathinones, synthetic cannabinoids, phenethylamines to narcotic analgesics such as NSOs or to anxiolytics such as new benzodiazepines [ 10 , 11 ]. Nine new uncontrolled NSOs have been reported during 2020 [ 12 ]and the global shortage of heroin due to pandemic may have forced regular users to take other substances with similar effects, such as fentanyl analogs and NSOs [ 13 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry and High-Sensitivity Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Screening of Classic Drugs and New Psychoactive Substances and Metabolites in Urine of Consumers

Marchei

Ferri

Torrens

et al. 2021

IJMS

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The use of the new psychoactive substances is continuously growing and the implementation of accurate and sensible analysis in biological matrices of users is relevant and fundamental for clinical and forensic purposes. Two different analytical technologies, high-sensitivity gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) were used for a screening analysis of classic drugs and new psychoactive substances and their metabolites in urine of formed heroin addicts under methadone maintenance therapy. Sample preparation involved a liquid-liquid extraction. The UHPLC-HRMS method included Accucore™ phenyl Hexyl (100 × 2.1 mm, 2.6 μm, Thermo, USA) column with a gradient mobile phase consisting of mobile phase A (ammonium formate 2 mM in water, 0.1% formic acid) and mobile phase B (ammonium formate 2 mM in methanol/acetonitrile 50:50 (v/v), 0.1% formic acid) and a full-scan data-dependent MS2 (ddMS2) mode for substances identification (mass range 100–1000 m/z). The GC-MS method employed an ultra-Inert Intuvo GC column (HP-5MS UI, 30 m, 250 µm i.d, film thickness 0.25 µm; Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA, USA) and electron-impact (EI) mass spectra were recorded in total ion monitoring mode (scan range 40–550 m/z). Urine samples from 296 patients with a history of opioid use disorder were examined. Around 80 different psychoactive substances and/or metabolites were identified, being methadone and metabolites the most prevalent ones. The possibility to screen for a huge number of psychotropic substances can be useful in suspected drug related fatalities or acute intoxication/exposure occurring in emergency departments and drug addiction services.

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“…Notably, the market of addictive substances has been impacted as well during to the pandemic [18][19] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Change in Psychoactive Substance Consumption in Relation to Psychological Stress During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Uruguay

Ruiz

Semblat²,

Pautassi

2021

Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J

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Objective: to analyze how the health crisis associated with the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affected psychoactive substance consumption in Uruguay. Method: An online survey was answered by 1916 Uruguayan citizens between March 26th and April 5th, 2020. They were surveyed on psychoactive substance use before and after the instauration of a recommended quarantine, and on increases in frequency and volume of use (during the quarantine) of the psychoactive substance they reported as having consumed the most in the year prior to the quarantine, and psychological distress experienced during the last month. Results: The main substances consumed during the quarantine were alcohol, tobacco, marihuana, and psychopharmaceuticals. Approximately 29.0% increased the volume (and 17.7% the frequency) of use of the substance they had consumed the most the year before the instauration of the quarantine. Moreover, 5.6% initiated the consumption of a new psychoactive substance during the quarantine, mostly marihuana and psychopharmaceuticals. Psychological distress was significantly higher in women, in participants under 30 years old and in those that increased the volume of their preferred substance or increased the volume of the second preferred psychoactive substance. Membership into the group reporting an increase in the volume of use of the preferred psychoactive substance was associated with greater psychological distress. Conclusions: These results indicate an association between the instauration of the recommended quarantine in Uruguay and greater psychoactive substance use during the period, as well as an association between increased psychoactive substance use during this period and levels of psychological stress. These results are relevant in terms of public health and public policies. Keywords: COVID-19, pandemic, Uruguay, psychoactive substances

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Consequences of COVID-19 Lockdown on the Misuse and Marketing of Addictive Substances and New Psychoactive Substances

Cited by 38 publications

References 18 publications

Identifying New/Emerging Psychoactive Substances at the Time of COVID-19; A Web-Based Approach

Identifying New/Emerging Psychoactive Substances at the Time of COVID-19; A Web-Based Approach

Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry and High-Sensitivity Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Screening of Classic Drugs and New Psychoactive Substances and Metabolites in Urine of Consumers

The Change in Psychoactive Substance Consumption in Relation to Psychological Stress During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Uruguay

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