This week’s NDEWS Special Report features a heatmap highlighting trends in nonfatal stimulant-related overdoses by time and day of the week across the U.S. from July 1 – December 31, 2024.

To view the heatmap in greater detail and see demographic breakdowns, click here for the full report.

Click here to learn more about NDEWS Hotspot Alerts.

What is 4-HO-MET? 4-HO-MET, also known as metocin, is a tryptamine and psychedelic. The drug is a functional analog of psilocin.

What was found? 4-HO-MET has had an increase in discussion since late October 2024, with a sharp spike in late November.

Previous Reports:
March 22, 2024
March 31, 2023

Previous Research: A 2020 study adds that about 27.8% of tryptamine users reported using 4-HO-MET. Participants in the study described it as “light” or “mild”. Compared to 4-AcO-DMT, participants stated that 4-HO-MET offers clearer headspace with potentially stronger visual effects.

How is it being discussed? In more recent discussion from Reddit, 4-HO-MET is often mentioned with other synthetic psychedelics such as other tryptamines and 2-CB. Commenters warn against taking the drug unsupervised; in some cases, the drug can lead to psychosis or other "trance-like" symptoms. Since the last report there has increased discussion surrounding liquid dosing as an ingestion method as well as the substances use as an alternative to psilocybin. There has also been an increase in Reddit users discussing extreme anxiety, panic attacks, and increased blood pressure when ingesting the substance.

Drug Terms: 4-HO-MET, Metocin, Methylcybin, 4HO, Colour

Click here to read more about NDEWS Online Monitoring.

The Community Opioid Overdose Reversal Medications (OORMs) Planning Toolkit, released by SAMHSA in January 2025, provides actionable guidance to expand access to lifesaving medications like naloxone. Targeting public health professionals, community leaders, and practitioners, the toolkit helps design effective overdose prevention and response strategies to reduce fatalities. This resource supports efforts to combat opioid use disorder at the community level, emphasizing accessible and evidence-based approaches.

Read more and download the toolkit here.

Earlier this month, the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE) and the Colombo Plan issued a health alert on the rising global threat of Nitazene-class synthetic opioids. These Benzimidazole compounds, often significantly more potent than fentanyl, pose severe risks to public health, with increasing reports of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In 2023, authorities seized nitazene-laced tablets destined for Florida, Connecticut, and Brazil, containing an average of 29 mg of metonitazene—equivalent to 290 mg of fentanyl or 145 times the DEA's estimated fatal dose.

Stay informed about new and emerging drugs with the Q4 2024 Scope Recommendations from the CSFRE. 

Read more here.

A recent USA Today report highlights the rising misuse of nitrous oxide, or "whippets," among college students, sparking scientific and public health concerns. Nitrous oxide is a sedative that disrupts oxygen flow to the brain, causing euphoria, impaired vision, and speech, along with potential long-term effects like nerve damage, cognitive impairments, and mood disorders such as depression. Unlike many drugs, nitrous oxide leaves no trace in routine drug tests, complicating its detection. Recent incidents at universities, including Tulane and West Virginia University, have highlighted its dangers, with injuries linked to the gas's extremely low temperature and toxicity.

Read the article here.

This week, Reuters highlights the FDA's approval of Johnson & Johnson's Spravato (esketamine) as a standalone treatment for severe depression. Derived from ketamine, Spravato targets glutamate, offering rapid symptom improvement, with over 20% of trial participants achieving remission. The approval builds on its prior use alongside antidepressants and for suicidal patients. Despite its effectiveness, Spravato remains available only through a restricted program due to ketamine's potential for misuse. In 2024, the nasal spray generated $780 million, reflecting its growing impact on mental health care.

Read the article here.

📅 Date: January 28, 2025 

⏰ Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET

📍Location: Virtual

Learn more here.

📅 Date: January 28, 2025 

⏰ Time: 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm CT

📍Location: Virtual

Learn more here.

📅 Date: January 29, 2025

⏰ Time: 10:00 am – 11:00 am ET

📍Location: Virtual

Learn more here.

📅 Date: January 30, 2025

⏰ Time: 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm ET

📍Location: Virtual

Learn more here.

📅 Date: January 31, 2025

⏰ Time: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm CT

📍Location: Virtual or live at Tulane Tidewater Building 1440 Canal Street New Orleans, LA

Learn more here.

📅 Dates: May 29 - May 30, 2025

🗓️ Submission deadline: February 19, 2025

📍Location: UF Academic and Research Center at Lake Nona, Orlando, FL

Learn more here.

📅 Dates: June 2 - 4, 2025

🗓️ Submission deadline: March 1, 2025

📍 Location: University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA

Learn more here.

📅 Dates: November 17 - 19, 2025

🗓️ Submission deadline: January 27, 2025

📍 Location: University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA

Learn more here.

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If you miss or want to learn more about NDEWS Original Content, you can find our archived content on the NDEWS website:

     • NDEWS Hotspot Alerts using substance-related 911 EMS dispatch data
     • NDEWS Rapid Street Reporting (RSR) survey data reports
     • NDEWS Web Monitoring Team Reddit Alerts
     • NDEWS Sentinel Site Reports
     • Previous issues of the NDEWS Weekly Briefings

The Weekly Briefing is a newsletter published each week by the National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS) Coordinating Center, which is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (U01DA051126) to the University of Florida (PI: Cottler, Co-Is: Goldberger, Nixon, Striley), New York University (Deputy Director: Palamar), and Florida Atlantic University (Co-I: Barenholtz). Any item may be reproduced provided the source is acknowledged.