The interest in eight new psychoactive substances before and after scheduling

Abstract

a b s t r a c tBackground: In recent years the recreational use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) has increased. NPS are considered a threat to public health and the main response to this threat is to make the selling and buying of these substances illegal. In Sweden, during the last 5 years, 62 new substances have been classified as narcotics but little is known of the effects of making a particular substance illegal. The aim of this work is to study how legal status influences the interest in NPS in Sweden. Methods: Forty-five thousand posts made in a Swedish Internet discussion forum (Flashback Forum) related to eight NPS (MDPV, Methylone, 4-MEC, 4-HO-MET, MXE, 6-APB, AH-7921, and 3-MMC) were used to derive time-dependent measures of interest in these substances. Intervention analyses were used to investigate the effects of legal status on the forum interest. Results: For all eight substances the activity on the forum (measured as number of posts per day) showed a drastic decrease around the time of classification. The statistical analysis showed that in seven of eight cases, the drop in activity could be accounted for by the legal status of the substances. Conclusions: The legal status of the substances was shown to have a substantial effect on the interest in the substances. The novel measure used to trace the interest in particular NPS could be a useful tool to follow trends in substance use in almost real-time.

Investigation of drug products received for analysis in the Swedish STRIDA project on new psychoactive substances

“…In Sweden, each new harmful substance is regulated individually, following identification and risk assessment evaluation . Once the regulation is enforced, the substance is generally taken off the domestic open web‐based NPS market (Internet drugs) and replaced by other structural variants with similar pharmacological action, so that sales will continue to be legal (legal highs) . Over the last ~8 years, several hundred new substances intended as recreational drugs or as legal alternatives to the classical, controlled illicit drugs have been introduced…”

Utility ofWeb search query data in testing theoretical assumptions about mephedrone

“…Consumers' interest changed and most possibly turned towards even more emerging NPSs, such as MDPV or pentedrone. Most recently, Ledberg () presented similar results, as he found that the activity on an internet discussion forum related to NPSs was significantly decreased around the time of classification.…”

A market on both “sides” of the law: The use of the hidden web for the sale of new psychoactive substances

“…NPS that are not controlled under drug laws are desirable to both the suppliers and users, such as experimentation and production without fear of incarceration (Brandt, Sumnall, Measham, & Cole, ). Once a substance is controlled by international and/or national drug laws, one study found that interest in that drug declines (Ledberg, ). Research has found that displacement of drugs from one supplier to another, for example, from high‐street retailer to street‐level drug dealer, is reflective of its legal status (Sumnall, Evans‐Brown, & McVeigh, ).…”