Festival testing: A survey of suspected drugs seized from New Zealand music festivals, December 2018 to March 2019

Johnson, Cort; Stansfield, C.R.; Hassan, V.R.

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110367

Cited by 21 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Fifth, naturalistic MDMA/ecstasy samples are often adulterated (Johnson et al, 2020; Saleemi et al, 2017), weakening causal interpretations of the associations between MDMA and decreased odds of MDEs. However, this limitation may interestingly strengthen causal interpretations as well.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lifetime use of MDMA/ecstasy and psilocybin is associated with reduced odds of major depressive episodes

Jones

Nock

2022

J Psychopharmacol

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Background: Depression is a major mental health issue worldwide, with high rates of chronicity and non-recovery associated with the condition. Existing treatments such as antidepressant medication and psychological treatments have modest effectiveness, suggesting the need for alternative interventions. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine)/ecstasy and psilocybin use and major depressive episodes (MDEs). Methods: This observational study used data from a large ( N = 213,437) nationally representative sample of US adults to test the association of lifetime use of MDMA/ecstasy, psilocybin and other classic psychedelics (lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), peyote, mescaline), other illegal substances (e.g. cocaine, phencyclidine (PCP)), and legal/medicinal substances of misuse (e.g. pain relievers, tranquilizers) with lifetime, past year, and past year severe MDEs. Results: Results revealed that lifetime MDMA/ecstasy use was associated with significantly lowered odds of a lifetime MDE (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.84; p < 0.001), past year MDE (aOR = 0.84; p < 0.001), and past year severe MDE (aOR = 0.82; p < 0.001). Psilocybin was associated with significantly lowered odds of a past year MDE (aOR = 0.90; p < 0.05) and past year severe MDE (aOR = 0.87; p < 0.05). All other substances either shared no relationship with a MDE or conferred increased odds of an MDE. Conclusions: These results suggest that MDMA/ecstasy and psilocybin use is associated with lower risk of depression. Experimental studies are needed to test whether there is a causal association between use of these compounds and the alleviation of depressive symptoms.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lifetime use of MDMA/ecstasy and psilocybin is associated with reduced odds of major depressive episodes

Jones

Nock

2022

J Psychopharmacol

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“…On the other hand, when a large number of samples are seized (e.g., tons of unknown powder or pills), it may not be feasible to test all iterations and laboratories may employ a sampling method to select a reduced amount of representative samples to be analyzed in order to enable a time and cost‐effective testing regime. Using a practical example, in a report of multiple similar samples of capsules, wrap packages, and cigarettes submitted for analysis (which later revealed the presence of synthetic cathinones), all the materials were weighted and one representative sample was selected for testing (Johnson et al, 2020).…”

Section: Overview Of the Analysis Of Synthetic Cathinones In Seized M...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, gas and liquid chromatography (LC) analysis requires samples in liquid phase for injection (Lesiak & Shepard, 2014). In general, for chromatographic analysis, samples of powders and crystalline solids are subjected to dissolution in organic solvents such as ethanol, methanol or acetonitrile, or buffer (for LC), which may be complemented by centrifugation, sonication, and/or dilution (Błażewicz et al, 2017; Johnson et al, 2020; Majchrzak et al, 2016; Pasin et al, 2017; Reitzel et al, 2012; UNODC, 2020b). Extraction with solvents combined to centrifugation was also employed in the analysis of synthetic cathinones in herbal materials (Byrska et al, 2017) and blotters (de Souza Boff et al, 2020).…”

Section: Overview Of the Analysis Of Synthetic Cathinones In Seized M...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Dissolution in water was also reported for microcrystalline tests (UNODC, 2020b). Spectroscopic techniques, such as infrared (IR) spectroscopy, may require either the preparation of a pellet containing the sample and a salt (e.g., KBr) (Majchrzak et al, 2016) or may be performed without any sample preparation using attenuated total reflection IR spectroscopy (ATR‐IR) (Johnson et al, 2020; Machado et al, 2019). With regard to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses, samples are usually diluted in deuterated solvents such as chloroform, methanol, and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) (Błażewicz et al, 2017; Gaspar et al, 2015; NPS Discovery, 2021; Power et al, 2011; Yovanovich et al, 2018), to avoid interferences from hydrogen or carbon atoms from the solvent depending on the type of NMR being used.…”

Section: Overview Of the Analysis Of Synthetic Cathinones In Seized M...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Identification of synthetic cathinones in seized materials: A review of analytical strategies applied in forensic chemistry

Campos

Krotulski

Martinis

et al. 2022

WIREs Forensic Science

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Synthetic cathinones are a class of novel psychoactive substances, commonly tested in seized materials by forensic chemistry laboratories. These drugs have been found in different types of seized materials including powders, tablets, liquids, herbs, and blotters. A comprehensive review of the literature shows that the analyses of synthetic cathinones have been performed by a diverse repertoire of techniques, from more traditional to emerging methods. Techniques commonly used in the analysis of "traditional" illicit drugs, such as color and microcrystalline tests, chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, mass spectrometry (MS), and infrared (IR), and Raman spectroscopies, have been used for screening and/or confirmatory purposes, depending on the technique and laboratories preference. However, other emerging techniques, such as nuclear magnetic resonance, high-resolution MS, direct analysis in real-time MS, gas chromatography with IR detection, and so on, have been drawing the attention of forensic scientists due to the advantages of these techniques in providing important structural data. It is important to consider that each technique presents analytical benefits and limitations, which should be considered when analyzing synthetic cathinones in seized materials. Furthermore, the combination of more than one analytical technique is always recommended, especially when an unknown synthetic cathinone is suspected and/or encountered in the sample.

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“…Lanzarotta, Witkowski, and Batson [26] verified the performance of different portable Raman spectrometers and spectral libraries for detecting opioids and related substances. Johnson, Stansfield, and Hassan [27] reported that a portable Raman spectrometer could correctly identify drugs of abuse in 54% of drug samples seized at New Zealand music festivals from 2018 to 2019. Liu et al [28] verified the ability of Raman spectra to distinguish phenethylamines, especially the regioisomers of the phenethylamine and structural analogs.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Portable Raman spectroscopy applied to the study of drugs of abuse

Santos

Nascimento

Barros

et al. 2022

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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According to the 2020 World Drug Report (WDR), the use of legal, illegal, and prescription drugs for non-medical use has increased significantly in recent decades [1]. In this scenario, drug trafficking, chemical dependency, and the misuse of prescription drugs are constant problems in society today [1,2]. In 2020, even with increased border control and decreased air traffic, the consequences of measures adopted to combat the spread of COVID-19, countries such as Iran, Morocco, the Islamic Republic, the United Kingdom, and Egypt reported major drug seizures [1].

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Festival testing: A survey of suspected drugs seized from New Zealand music festivals, December 2018 to March 2019

Cited by 21 publications

References 14 publications

Lifetime use of MDMA/ecstasy and psilocybin is associated with reduced odds of major depressive episodes

Lifetime use of MDMA/ecstasy and psilocybin is associated with reduced odds of major depressive episodes

Identification of synthetic cathinones in seized materials: A review of analytical strategies applied in forensic chemistry

Portable Raman spectroscopy applied to the study of drugs of abuse

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