The detection and prevention of unintentional consumption of DOx and 25x‐NBOMe at Portugal's Boom Festival

Martins, Daniel; Barratt, Monica J.; Pires, Cristiana Vale; Carvalho, Helena; Vilamala, Mireia Ventura; Espinosa, Iván Fornís; Valente, Helena

doi:10.1002/hup.2608

Cited by 49 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…One of the most accurate routes for the early detection of drugs recently incorporated into the market are field studies with drug checking, harm reduction strategies, epidemiological surveillances and public health monitoring [13][14][15]. Our results confirm the usefulness of drug checking in residues from syringe plungers [16], and standardized the procedure in order to use fentanyl strips to residues obtained from metal cookers and drug wrappings.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

Fentanyl is used in Mexico's northern border: current challenges for drug health policies

et al. 2020

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Background and Aims Results from a recent study among 750 heroin users in three Mexico's northern border cities revealed an increase in white powder availability (also known as China white) and preference for this product among heroin users, as well as a general perception of increased overdose cases among this population. Here, we questioned whether those findings reflect an increased presence of heroin laced with fentanyl, which is associated with greater risks of overdose but that, until now, has not been described in Mexico. Design We tested fentanyl using highly sensitive test strips in syringe plungers, metal cookers and drug wrappings associated with heroin use. Setting Three injection sites in Tijuana, Baja California, México. Participants Eighty‐nine heroin users who interchanged paraphernalia for new syringes. Measurements We tested 59 residues of ‘pure’ white powder. The rest were white powder with black tar (n = 5) or white powder with crystal meth (n = 9), black tar with crystal meth (n = 1), black tar only (n = 13) and crystal meth only (n = 2). Findings Users believed that they consumed either white powder heroin, white powder heroin with crystal meth, white powder with black tar heroin or black tar heroin only. Analyses revealed that 93% (n = 55) of the ‘pure’ white powder samples had fentanyl. All (n = 9) the white powder samples mixed with crystal meth and 40% (n = 2) of the white powder with black tar were also laced with fentanyl. Conclusions In a sample of 89 heroin users in Mexico, most white powder heroin users were unknowingly exposed to fentanyl, with fentanyl detected in 93% of white powder samples.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

Fentanyl is used in Mexico's northern border: current challenges for drug health policies

et al. 2020

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“…It is possible that users led to believe they were taking LSD were in fact consuming one of its analogues and vice versa. Also, it is plausible that the substances taken were unrelated to LSD such as those from the NBOMe series (Caldicott, Bright, & Barratt, ; Martins et al, under review). Future studies should seek to replicate these findings with chemical confirmation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genie in a blotter: A comparative study of LSD and LSD analogues' effects and user profile

Coney

Maier

Ferris

et al. 2017

Human Psychopharmacology

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“…At micro–level, disposal of unwanted substances has been utilised as a key indicator of impact on individual service users, in part due to the relative ease of measuring disposals by comparison with other outcomes, the potential for comparison between testing services, and the indisputable benefit (apparent even to critics) of taking substances of concern out of circulation. Testing services worldwide report that a significant proportion of service users intend not to take further substances in their possession after service delivery, particularly if test results suggest that contents were adulterated, missold or otherwise other than expected …”

Section: Drug Safety Testingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…worldwide report that a significant proportion of service users intend not to take further substances in their possession after service delivery, particularly if test results suggest that contents were adulterated, missold or otherwise other than expected. [24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32] Drug safety testing disposal rates vary widely depending on composition profiles and adulteration rates identified by forensic analyses, with a review 33 suggesting that disposal rates for testing services ranged from 4-76% and subsequent studies suggesting that the range is even wider. Furthermore, distinctions have been made between intended disposals, 34,35 actual disposals to a testing service, 29 and verified disposals to an external agency.…”

Section: What This Study Addsmentioning

confidence: 99%

City checking: Piloting the UK's first community‐based drug safety testing (drug checking) service in 2 city centres

Measham

2020

Brit J Clinical Pharma

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Aims To explore the feasibility of delivering community‐based drug safety testing (drug checking), to trial service design characteristics and to compare with festival‐based testing. Methods In total, 171 substances of concern were submitted on 5 dates at 3 venues in 2 UK cities and tested using up to 6 analytical techniques. Test results and harm reduction advice were distributed directly to over 200 service users through 144 tailored healthcare consultations, to stakeholders, and through early warning systems, media and social media alerts. Results The 171 samples were submitted and identified as MDMA (43.3%), cocaine (12.9%), ketamine (12.9%), various psychedelics submitted by students, and heroin and a synthetic cannabinoid submitted by rough sleeping communities, with 76% of samples' test results as expected. The 144 primary service users identified as 91.7% white, 68.1% male, with an average age of 26.7 years. Reported harm reduction intentions included alerting friends and acquaintances (37.5%), being more careful mixing that substance (35.4%), lowered dosage (27.8%), disposal of further substances (6.9%) and additionally 2.8% handed over further substances for verified destruction. Conclusion Community‐based drug safety testing (drug checking) was piloted for the first time in the UK—within a drugs service, a community centre and a church—with consideration given to meso‐level operational feasibility and micro‐level behavioural outcomes. Service design characteristics such as venue, day of week, prior publicity, service provider, and direct and indirect dissemination of results all may impact on outcomes. Future studies should consider cost–benefit analyses of community and event‐based testing and context‐appropriate macro, meso and micro‐level evaluations.

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The detection and prevention of unintentional consumption of DOx and 25x‐NBOMe at Portugal's Boom Festival

Abstract: Although these results support the provision of integrated drug-checking services in party settings, evidence of their utility and effectiveness would be improved through future research incorporating more robust measures of outcomes following provision of drug-checking results.

Cited by 49 publications

References 30 publications

Fentanyl is used in Mexico's northern border: current challenges for drug health policies

Fentanyl is used in Mexico's northern border: current challenges for drug health policies

Genie in a blotter: A comparative study of LSD and LSD analogues' effects and user profile

City checking: Piloting the UK's first community‐based drug safety testing (drug checking) service in 2 city centres

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