Use of new and uncommon synthetic psychoactive drugs among a nationally representative sample in the United States, 2005–2017

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to examine patterns and first mentions of reported use of new or uncommon drugs across 13 years, among nationally representative samples in the United States.Methods: Participants (ages ≥12) in the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (2005-2017, N = 730,418) were provided opportunities to type in names of new or uncommon drugs they had ever used that were not specifically queried. We examined self-reported use across survey years and determined years of first mentions. Results: From 2005 to 2017, there were 2,343 type-in responses for use of 79 new or uncommon synthetic drugs, and 54 were first-ever mentions of these drugs. The majority (65.8%) of mentions were phenethylamines (e.g., 2C-x, NBOMe), which were also the plurality of new drug mentions (n = 22; 40.7%). Mentions of 2C-x drugs in particular increased from 30 mentions in 2005 to 147 mentions in 2013. We estimate an upward trend in use of new or uncommon drugs between 2005 and 2017 (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Although type-in responses on surveys are limited and underestimate prevalence of use, such responses can help inform researchers when new compounds are used. Continued surveillance of use of new and uncommon drugs is needed to inform adequate public health response.

A qualitative descriptive analysis of effects of psychedelic phenethylamines and tryptamines

“…2C‐B, 2C‐E, and 2C‐I were the most commonly reported 2C series compounds, and the self‐reported use of DOx and NBOMe series phenethylamines was far less common. Tryptamines accounted for 9.1% of all type‐in responses in this study, and a wide variety of compound names ( n = 19) were typed in across years (Palamar & Le, ). Indeed, many of these compounds are not “new,” but we consider them both uncommon and novel—compared with more common drugs.…”

“…Of the most common tryptamines used by this sample, the majority of these compounds were first discovered or first synthesized as early as the 1930s (e.g., 5‐MeO‐DMT), 1950s (e.g., 4‐AcO‐DMT), or in the 1970s (e.g., 4‐HO‐MET and 5‐MeO‐DIPT). However, use does not appear to be very prevalent (Palamar & Le, ; Palamar, Martins, Su, & Ompad, ), and most of these compounds do not have much of a presence in the published literature.…”

“…4‐AcO‐DMT was the most commonly used tryptamine by participants, and this compound also appears to be among the most prevalent novel tryptamines in recent years (Palamar & Le, ; Palma‐Conesa et al, ). Although some participants felt the effects are comparable with those of DMT in high doses, the effects of more common (lower) doses were commonly compared with psilocybin.…”

“…Although psychedelic phenethylamine and tryptamine use is far less prevalent than the use of more common psychoactive drugs, among uncommon drugs and NPS, these two classes appear to be most prevalent. Although it is difficult to estimate the prevalence of the use of these drug classes because most drug surveys do not query use, a recent study in the United States examined type‐in responses for the use of uncommon drugs not specifically queried in the 2005–2017 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (Palamar & Le, ). Two thirds of type‐in mentions (65.8%) were psychedelic phenethylamines (with names of 37 different compounds typed in).…”

NBOMes–Highly Potent and Toxic Alternatives of LSD

“…The first recreationally used drug from this group was 25I-NBOMe (2-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine), identified in seven green blotters seized by the Swedish police in May 2012 (EMCDDA, 2014). It is likely that 25I-NBOMe was the first NBOMe to be used recreationally in the United States (Palamar and Le, 2019). Following this, several potent NBOMes were synthesized and introduced into the drug market.…”