A new NDEWS paper published earlier this week in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, was picked up by multiple media outlets. The analyses were led by NDEWS Deputy Director Dr. Joseph Palamar, with co-authorships from NIDA T32 Predoctoral Fellow Nicole Fitzgerald and NDEWS Director Dr. Linda Cottler, HIDTA Director/SAG member Dr. Thomas Carr, and colleagues from Columbia University. The analyses examined seizures of shrooms (psilocybin) in the US overall and by region between 2017 and 2022. The number of High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) law enforcement seizures of shrooms increased from 402 in 2017 to 1,396 in 2022. The total weight of psilocybin mushrooms seized by law enforcement also increased from 498 lbs seized in 2017 to 1,861 lbs in 2022. Read the study here.

For news coverage on this study, including quotes from NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow, see:
Press release from NIDA
Press release from NYU
New York Times article
Newsweek article
NPR article
Axios article
US World News & Report article
Yahoo article

Last week, a reader from the Florida Department of Health reported to us a re-emergence of carfentanil-involved deaths in Florida. In response, NDEWS met with them and examined data obtained via the Florida Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-Based Epidemics (ESSENCE-FL), which were provided by the OD2A Team in Palm Beach County. Data from 2023 are considered preliminary. As shown there has been a reported increase in carfentanil-involved deaths in Florida. Last year, the prevalence of carfentanil-involved deaths was the highest since 2018. Palm Beach County was particularly impacted, accounting for 52% of deaths in Florida involving carfentanil.

Last week, NDEWS also received information regarding tianeptine, or 'gas station heroin', from one of our readers at the Illinois Poison Center:

The Illinois Poison Center has received calls from residents and medical professionals regarding tianeptine. Of the 2023 reports, cases were in 6 different Northern and Central Illinois counties.

A national expert panel of persons with histories of drug use are invited to join Virtual HealthStreet to participate in periodic anonymous, special topic surveys specifically aimed at garnering a better understanding of emerging drug trends across the US. Join here.

Earlier this week, NPS Discovery published an Emerging Drug Alert about tianeptine, popularly known as ‘gas station heroin.’ The alert includes a description of the health impacts of the drug, an analysis of tianeptine-containing exhibit samples, an evaluation of seized drug samples from North Carolina investigations, and recommendations for substance use treatment providers, clinicians, public health agencies, and testing labs. Read the alert here.

Earlier this week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released their final regulations, which help guide Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs). Some of the regulations include increasing access to treatment admission to OTPs, making take-home medication flexibilities permanent, allowing for methadone induction through telehealth appointments, and eliminating stigmatizing language in referring to patients in treatment. Read the final regulations here.

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