Social media platforms provide a unique indicator of activity in the rapidly changing market for new psychoactive substances (NPS). On the popular Reddit website, drug-related discussion occurs in user-generated subreddits dedicated to a drug, a class of drugs, or more general topics related to drug use or experimentation. The contents of drug subreddit discussions can be useful for estimating temporal trends in NPS use, including early and real-time identification of emerging drugs.
In collaboration with the Machine Perception and Cognitive Robotics (MPCR) Lab, under the direction of Dr. Elan Barenholtz, and NIDA T32 fellow Daniel Van Zant, the NDEWS Coordinating Center has developed an online monitoring platform for early detection of NPS in drug subreddits. Trends in drug discussion are quantified through anonymized, aggregate keyword counts derived from algorithmic monitoring of ~80 drug-oriented subreddits. Keyword metrics count mentions over time of keywords that refer to a drug. Machine learning models are employed for automated detection and aggregation of drug keywords.
In combination, these methods detect drug-related activity that is anomalous and potentially indicative of an emerging trend in the development or use of novel substances. Validation on historical trends reveals that detection of an NPS in drug subreddit discussion is predictive of its subsequent emergence in toxicology data and other real-world signals. Early detection of NPS trends by online monitoring serves as a source for further investigation and collaboration with NDEWS partners.
Archived Online Monitoring Alerts
2025
- 03/28/2025 – Poppers (Drug Terms: Poppers, Alkyl nitrites)
- 03/21/2025 – Tucibi (Drug Terms: Tucibi, tusi, tussi, pink cocaine, pink tusi)
- Previous NDEWS reports on Tucibi: October 11, 2024, July 19, 2024, February 2, 2023
- 03/14/2025 – Pediatric Fentanyl Exposures
- Search Methodology – Two targeted searches on Reddit were conducted to analyze discussions about nonfatal pediatric fentanyl exposure. This approach allowed for systematic identification of relevant content while capturing the intersection between youth involvement and poisoning incidents.
- Youth and Fentanyl Search: Identified posts mentioning fentanyl in connection with young people by searching for terms related to children, teens, students, schools, and family relationships alongside fentanyl references.
- Fentanyl Poisoning Search: Collected posts discussing fentanyl poisonings by searching for mentions of overdoses, accidental exposures, medical interventions (like Narcan), and contaminated substances. Only posts that mentioned poisonings in conjunction with discussions about youth were considered for the discussion write-up.
- Search Methodology – Two targeted searches on Reddit were conducted to analyze discussions about nonfatal pediatric fentanyl exposure. This approach allowed for systematic identification of relevant content while capturing the intersection between youth involvement and poisoning incidents.
- 03/07/2025 – Mushroom Gummies (Drug Terms: mushroom gummies, mushroom gummy, Diamond Shruumz, Road Trip Desert Stardust)
- 02/28/2020 – Rilmazafone (Drug Terms: Rilmazafone, rilmazolam, rhythmy, 450191-S, リスミー)
- Previous NDEWS reports on Rilmazafone: May 17, 2024
- 02/21/2025 – Methallylescaline (Drug Terms: MAL, methallylescaline)
- Previous NDEWS reports on Methallylescaline: May 10, 2024
- 02/14/2025 – Dextromethorphan & Promethazine (Drug Terms Dextromethorphan: Dextromethorphan, DXM, Robitussin | Drug Terms Promethazine: Promethazine, Phenargan)
- 02/07/2025 – Quetiapine (Drug Terms: Quetiapine, Seroquel)
- 01/24/2025 – 4-HO-MET (Drug Terms: Metocin, Methylcybin, 4HO, Colour)
- Previous NDEWS reports on 4-HO-MET: March 22, 2024 + March 31, 2023
- 01/10/2025 – 4-MeTMP (Drug Terms: 4-methylmethylphenidate)
- 01/10/2025 – 2-FXE (Drug Terms: 2-FXE, CanKet, 2F-NENK, 2F-NENDCK, 2-F-2-Oxo-PCE)
- Previous NDEWS report on 2-FXE: June 5, 2024
2024
- 12/20/2024 – Avizafone
- Previous NDEWS reports on Avizafone: October 4, 2024 + April 26, 2024
- 12/13/2024 – Bromazolam (Drug Terms: Bromazolam, Brom, Bromaz)
- Previous NDEWS report on Bromazolam: March 29, 2024
- 11/22/2024 – N-ethylpentedrone (Drug Terms: N-ethylpentedrone, NEP, α-EAPP, α-ethylamino-valerophenone, N-ethylnorpentedrone)
- Previous NDEWS reports on N-ethylpentedrone: August 30, 2024 + May 19, 2023
- 11/15/2024 – 7-OH (Drug Terms: 7-hydroxymitragynine, 7-OH, 7HMZ, 7(omega)MZ)
- Previous NDEWS reports on 7-OH: August 16, 2024 + June 21, 2024
- 11/08/2024 – MD-PiHP (Drug Terms: MD-PiHP, MDPiHP)
- 10/25/2024 – Rilmazafone
- 10/18/2024 – 2-MMC
- 10/11/2024 – Tucibi
- 10/04/2024 – Avizafone
- 09/27/2024 – Cyclorphine
- 09/13/2024 – 3-MMC
- 09/06/2024 – Etomidate
- 08/30/2024 – N-ethylpentedrone
- 08/23/2024 – Pentobarbital
- 08/16/2024 – 7-OH
- 08/02/2024 – MD-PiHP
- 07/26/2024 – N-desethyl isotonitazene
- 07/19/2024 – Tucibi
- 07/12/2024 – 3-MMC
- 07/05/2024 – 2-FXE/CanKet
- 06/21/2024 – 7-OH
- 06/14/2024 – Medetomidine
- 05/31/2024 – 5-MeO-DiPT
- 05/24/2024 – 2C-E
- 05/17/2024 – Rilmazafone
- 05/10/2024 – Methallylescaline
- 04/26/2024 – Avizafone
- 04/19/2024 – Lemon Tekking
- 04/12/2024 – Pentobarbital/Phenobarbital
- 04/05/2024 – Nitazenes
- 03/29/2024 – Bromazolam
- 03/22/2024 – 4-HO-MET
- 03/15/2024 – Kitty flipping
2023
- 05/19/2023 – NEP
- 05/12/2023 – 4F-MPH
- 05/05/2023 – 4-CA, 4-CMA
- 4/28/2023 – Nifoxipam
- 04/21/2023 – “Fake” Xanax
- 04/07/2023 – 4-AcO-DMT
- 03/31/2023 – 4-HO-MET
- 03/24/2023 – N,N-Dimethylpentylone
- 03/17/2023 – HHC
- 03/10/2023 – Diphenhydramine
- 03/03/2023 – Vyvanse
- 02/24/2023 – Modafinil
- 02/17/2023 – Phenibut
- 02/10/2023 – Blue Lotus
- 02/03/2023 – Tucibi
- 01/27/2023 – Xylazine
- 01/20/2023 – Psilocybin
- 01/13/2023 – Ozempic
- 01/06/2023 – Tianeptine
2022
- 12/09/2022 – Ketamine
- 12/09/2022 – Fluorexetamine
- 12/02/2022 – M30
- 11/18/2022 – Desmetramadol
- 11/11/2022 – Blue Bliss
- 11/04/2022 – Gidazepam
- 10/28/2022 – Etizolam, Isotonitazene, N,N-Dimethylpentylone, & MDMB-4en-PINACA
- 10/21/2022 – Metonitazene
- 10/14/2022 – Fluorexetamine
- 10/7/2022 – Eutylone
- 09/23/2022 – T 189
- 09/16/2022 – Xylazine
- 09/09/2022 – Mephedrone
- 09/02/2022 – Flubromazepam
- 08/26/2022 – N,N-Dimethylpentylone
- 08/19/2022 – N-methyl-cyclazodone
- 08/12/2022 – Fluorexetamine
- 08/05/2022 – Etomethazene
- 07/29/2022 – Protonitazepyne
- 07/22/2022 – Zopiclone
- 07/15/2022 – THC-O-acetate
- 07/01/2022 – Tapentadol
- 07/01/2022 – Etomethazene
- 06/24/2022 – Toseina
- 06/17/2022 – GGs
- 06/10/2022 – Pregablin
- 06/03/2022 – MDPHP
- 04/29/2022 – 3-Chloro-PCP
- 04/22/2022 – Fluorexetamine
- 04/15/2022 – Borax Combo
- 04/08/2022 – 3-CMC
- 04/01/2022 – HHC
- 03/25/2022 – Ephedrine vs. Pseudoephedrine vs. PSP
- 03/11/2022 – Xylazine
- 03/04/2022 – Alpha-D2PV
- 02/25/2022 – Flubromazepam
- 02/18/2022 – Cyclazodone
- 02/11/2022 – Clonazolam
- 02/04/2022 – 1V-LSD
- 01/28/2022 – Deschloroetizolam
- 01/14/2022 – Flubrotizolam
- 01/07/2022 – Delta-8-THC
- 12/17/2021 – Metodesnitazene
- 11/19/2021 – Fluclotizolam
- 10/22/2021 – M30
- 10/08/2021 – α-PHiP
- 09/24/2021 – Mephedrone
Last modified: 01/27/2025