New psychoactive substances (NPS) in the Netherlands: occurrence in forensic drug samples, consumer drug samples and poisons center exposures between 2013 and 2017

Abstract

Background and Aims Although European‐wide data on the new psychoactive substances (NPS) drug market are available, country‐specific data are limited. We studied recent NPS trend data relative to all recreational drugs on the Dutch drug market. Design National observational study. Setting The Netherlands. Data sources Three national indicators were used between 2013 and 2017: (1) forensic drug samples offered to the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI); (2) drug samples submitted by consumers to the Drugs Information and Monitoring System (DIMS); and (3) exposures in which the Dutch Poisons Information Center (DPIC) was consulted. Measurements Overall NPS incidence rate was the primary outcome. Numbers and specific categories of NPS were also studied. Changes in NPS incidence rates over time were analyzed using Poisson regression analyses [year effect expressed as incidence rate ratios (IRR)]. Findings From 2013 to 2017, NPS were involved in 1892 forensic samples, 6316 consumer samples and 481 poisons center exposures. In 2013, NPS incidence rates were 2.5, 7 and 4% versus 3, 11 and 11% in 2017, respectively, in the NFI, DIMS and DPIC samples/exposures. NPS incidence rates increased significantly in consumer samples between 2013 and 2016 [IRR = 1.23; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.18, 1.29] and in poisons center exposures between 2013 and 2017 (IRR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.06, 1.35), while the trend in forensic samples appeared more stable. Phenethylamines were the largest class and were detected in 58, 80 and 63% of NFI, DIMS and DPIC samples/exposures, respectively. Detected phenethylamines mainly involved 4‐fluoroamphetamine and 2C‐x derivatives. The second largest class were cathinones, which were detected in 21, 11 and 16% of NFI, DIMS and DPIC samples/exposures, respectively. Conclusions Analysis of forensic drug samples, consumer drug samples and exposures reported to poison centers from 2013 to 2017 shows the constant presence of new psychoactive substances on the Dutch drug market and its use by the Dutch population. The two largest classes present in the Netherlands were phenethylamines and cathinones.

Electrochemical profiling and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry characterization of synthetic cathinones: From methodology to detection in forensic samples

“…Therefore, many countries have started to amend existing legislation to control NPS, leading to over 15,000 seizures in Europe alone in 2017 (24% of all European NPS seizures) 9 . However, the NPS market is highly dynamic, making it difficult for authorities to keep up with the pace of appearance of new compounds 10 . It is therefore important for law enforcement agencies to possess analytical tools to effectively monitor cargo, luggage, and individual samples of these compounds in the field.…”

“…9 However, the NPS market is highly dynamic, making it difficult for authorities to keep up with the pace of appearance of new compounds. 10 It is therefore important for law enforcement agencies to possess analytical tools to effectively monitor cargo, luggage, and individual samples of these compounds in the field.…”

Identification of 2C-B in Hair by UHPLC-HRMS/MS. A Real Forensic Case

“…The European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drugs Addiction (EMCDDA) Drug Report in 2020 reveals that, from 2008 to 2018, the number of cases involving phenethylamine-derivatives increased almost 5 times [4]. As recently proved by different epidemiological studies [7,8] carried out in some countries, such as the United States and the Netherlands, the consumption of 2C-B has significantly increased over the last decade. The number of cases where 2C-B was seized for identification analysis increased as well.…”

An Early Warning Monitoring System for Illicit Drug Use at Large Public Events: ‘Close to Real Time’ Trace Residue Analysis of Discarded Drug Packaging Samples

“…Throughout Europe since the 1990's [18,19], more recently in the UK [20,21] and New Zealand [22], and at a single location on two occasions to date in Australia [23,24], drug checking (also known as pill testing) services have been established 'on-site' at music festivals or 'off-site' at fixed site locations within the community, for people who use drugs to be informed about the identity, and in some instances, purity, of drugs in their possession, prior to consumption. In addition to simple colorometric reagent tests, that generally lack sensitivity and specificity to reliably detect or confidently identify the enormous number of substances currently available, a range of more sophisticated analytical techniques have been employed for drug checking in these services, including Fourier Transform -InfraRed (FT-IR) spectroscopy [25][26][27][28][29].…”