ORIGINAL NDEWS CONTRIBUTION

2021 Q3 Report: Methamphetamine-related 911 EMS responses per 10k population, July 2021 – September 2021

Methamphetamine has primarily been reported on the west coast of the US. Our data suggests a shift to the Midwest and eastern US. In Quarter 3 of 2021, there were 30,567 methamphetamine-related 911 responses, with Colorado and Kentucky having the largest rate of responses per 10k, although California had the highest overall count of methamphetamine-related 911 responses.
Click the image above or view the full report here.

Alert from the NDEWS Web Monitoring team: Recent growth in online mentions of delta-10

What was found? Online discussion of Delta-10-THC has emerged in 2021. Mention counts suggest the drug gained popularity this summer and fall.
To what does Delta-10-THC refer? Delta-10-THC is a synthetic THC isomer, produced similarly to Delta-8-THC.
How is it being discussed? The drug is co-mentioned with Delta-8-THC as an alternative cannabinoid.
Drug Terms: Delta-10, Delta 10, Delta10, Δ10

Methodological Note: Data was collected and analyzed by the NDEWS Web Monitoring Team, led by Dr. Elan Barenholtz and PhD candidate Paul Morris of the Machine Perception and Cognitive Robotics (MPCR) Lab at Florida Atlantic University. Metrics are based on word counts derived from algorithmic monitoring of ~80 drug-oriented Subreddits. No personally identifiable or post-specific information is incorporated in this monitoring process. For more methodological details, see our recent publication.

Word Cloud Note: The Subreddit word cloud presents an aggregate summary of common terms in comments mentioning Delta-10-THC.

NEW PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES (NPS)

BZO-CHMOXIZID, ADB-PHETINACA, N-Piperidinyl Etonitazene: Announcement of newly identified novel substances (NPS) in the United States

NPS Discovery announced three newly identified novel psychoactive substances last week. BZO-CHMOXIZID and ADB-PHETINACA are both classified as synthetic cannabinoids. N-Piperidinyl Etonitazene is classified as a novel opioid of the benzimidazole-sub class and is structurally dissimilar from fentanyl. Full reports are accessible via the links below.

BZO-CHMOXIZID report

ADB-PHETINACA report

N-Piperidinyl Etonitazene report

IN THE NEWS

Nation's first supervised drug-injection sites open in New York

The nation's first government-approved supervised drug-injection site began offering services on Tuesday, November 30, 2021 in New York City. The centers located in Manhattan will allow people to inject heroin and other illicit drugs under the care of medical professionals. They will also be offered access to addiction treatment and other health care. The program, backed by Mayor Bill de Blasio, is part of the city's harm reduction strategy. Arrangements with the NYPD and other law enforcement have been made to ensure the sites can operate without the interference of local municipal law enforcement. Read the full article here.

COVID-19 AND DRUG-RELATED TRENDS

Experiences with substance use disorder treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a multistate survey

In a study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, individuals were interviewed to examine their experiences with substance use disorder treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results showed that individuals in treatment reported substantial reductions in in-person service use since the start of the pandemic, including a 27 percentage point reduction in group counseling sessions and a 28 percentage point reduction in mutual aid group participation. By contrast, individuals reported a 21 percentage point increase in receipt of overdose education. Almost all reported taking advantage of new policy changes: for example, increased counseling by phone/video, increased take-home medication, and fewer urine drug screenings. Overall, respondents reported relatively high satisfaction with their treatment and with telehealth adaptations. Read the full study here.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the health of people who used illicit opioids in New York City: the first 12 months

In a study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, participants who reported opioid use completed monthly survey assessments between April 2020 and March 2021. Surveys examined four domains of health and well-being potentially impacted by COVID-19: drug risks and responses, healthcare and related services, material hardship, and mental health. Difficulty obtaining food was the most frequent material hardship especially from April to June 2020. Depression during that same time was reported by over half of the population then declined over the study period. While the mean number of overdoses per month decreased, the percentage of opioid use events where naloxone was present increased. Most participants receiving medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) experienced an increase in take-home doses. Read the full study here.

RECENTLY PUBLISHED

New HIDTA alert: Synthetic opioid protonitazene is reported being used in D.C. 

A synthetic opioid, protonitazene, was identified through a syringe testing program in D.C. Protonitazene is a synthetic opioid of benzimidazole structure class and is said to produce strong analgesic effects more potent than that of morphine. This is the first incident of protonitazene being identified on the streets of D.C.

Office of National Drug Control Policy creates new drug control data dashboard

The Office of National Drug Control Policy has created a drug control data dashboard that provides a machine-readable and interactive collection of drug data from many sources. Users have the ability to search topics by year, agency, drug, and, to a limited degree, geographic location. View the full dashboard here.

ARE THESE BEING USED IN YOUR AREA?

Complete our survey about these new substances

New Substances Survey 

Xylazine
Para-fluorofentanyl
Fluclotizolam

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