A study published this week in the International Journal of Drug Policy, with NDEWS Deputy Director Dr. Joseph Palamar lead author and co-authors NIDA T32 fellow Dr. Fitzgerald, former HIDTA site Director Mr. Carr, NDEWS Director Dr. Cottler and SAG member Dr. Ciccarone, compared regional trends in fentanyl seizures to examine potential shifts in illicit fentanyl availability. The results showed that the percentage of seizures in pill form in the US increased from 10.3% in 2017 to 49% in 2023 with 115.6 million individual pills seized. The plurality of seizures was in the West, with 77.8% of seizures in the West being in pill form. The authors note that continued monitoring of regional shifts in the fentanyl supply can help inform targeted prevention and public health response. Read the study here. View the state-level 2023 data table here. View the Altmetric score here. County-level data is available upon request.

If you are interested in the authors presenting state or county-level data, please contact us at ndews-cc@ufl.edu.

For news coverage on this study, including quotes from NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow, see:
Press release from NIDA
Press release from NYU Langone Health
The New York Times
CNN
The Hill
Time
The Guardian
Fox News (video)

You are invited to attend the NDEWS Summit at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) 86th Annual Scientific Meeting on Saturday, June 15th (06/15/2024) from 4:00-6:30 PM ET in meeting room Avenue Duluth. The Summit will be open to all CPDD meeting attendees. Please fill out our RSVP form here to inform us of your attendance.

We hope to see you there!

What is Rilmazafone? Rilmazafone is a prescription drug used in Japan that acts as a prodrug to rilmazolam. It is primarily used medically for its' fast-acting sedative, anxiolytic, and soporific effects. Although not a benzodiazepine itself, it has several benzodiazepine metabolites. 

What was found? Analysis of Reddit discussions indicates that rilmazafone has seen a significant increase in activity over time, with the most pronounced spike occurring since late 2023. 

How is it being discussed? Reddit users note diverse reasons for ingesting rilmazafone. Some of the primary ones are as "landing gear" to end trips early, to enhance the effects of alcohol or opioids, to mitigate social anxiety, or as a sleep aid. Many users also note that they prefer it to other benzodiazepines such as etizolam due to its' lesser sedative effects. Addictiveness, memory loss, and sleepiness are mentioned as negative side effects. Commenters also state that rilmazafone is sometimes sold by vendors mislabeled as other drugs like pyrazolam.

Drug Terms: Rilmazafone, rilmazolam, rhythmy, 450191-S, リスミー

Methodological Note: Data was collected and analyzed by the NDEWS Web Monitoring Team, led by Dr. Elan Barenholtz and NIDA T32 predoctoral fellow Daniel Van Zant of the Machine Perception and Cognitive Robotics (MPCR) Lab at Florida Atlantic University. Metrics are based on post counts derived from algorithmic monitoring of ~80 drug-oriented Subreddits. No personally identifiable or post-specific information is incorporated into this monitoring process. Due to modifications in our data collection protocols, the NDEWS Web Monitoring Team is currently unable to collect data for substances that generate high volumes of posts (e.g. xylazine or psilocybin). This temporary restriction, which is anticipated to persist until early June, reflects recent revisions to Reddit's Terms of Service on data gathering. For more methodological details, see our publication.

This week's NDEWS Hotspot Alerts report includes 15 counties with higher-than-expected drug-related 911 dispatch counts over the previous 7-day period. Read more here. Click here to read more about NDEWS Hotspot Alerts.

A study recently published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, co-authored by NDEWS Sentinel Site Director Dr. Annick Bórquez, assessed changes in injecting and smoking opioids and methamphetamine among a cohort of people who inject drugs from San Diego, California. The results showed significant declines in the injection of heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine between October 2020 and April 2023. A substantial proportion of participants transitioned from injecting and smoking to only smoking by the end of the study period, regardless of drug classification. Read the study here.

Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Time: 1:00 p.m. E.T.

Register here.

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