Prevalence of new psychoactive substances (NPS) in Brazil based on oral fluid analysis of samples collected at electronic music festivals and parties

Author(s)

da Cunha, Kelly Francisco ^{[1, 2]} ; Oliveira, Karina Diniz ^{[1, 2]} ; Cardoso, Marilia Santoro ^{[1, 2]} ; Furiozo Arantes, Ana Carolina ^{[1, 2]} ; Piras Coser, Pedro Henrique ^[1] ; Lima, Lucas de Noronha ^[1] ; Sampaio Maluf, Ana Cristhina ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; de Castro Comis, Maria Angelica ^[3] ; Huestis, Marilyn A. ^[4] ; Costa, Jose Luiz ^{[5, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Fac Med Sci, UNICAMP, BR-13083859 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, Campinas Poison Control Ctr, UNICAMP, BR-13083859 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[3] Ctr Convivencia E de Lei, ResPire Harm Reduct Project, BR-01019020 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[4] Thomas Jefferson Univ, Inst Emerging Hlth Profess, Philadelphia, PA 19107 - USA

^[5] Univ Estadual Campinas, Fac Pharmaceut Sci, UNICAMP, BR-13083859 Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE; v. 227, OCT 1 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Background: New psychoactive substances (NPS) use is a worldwide public health issue. Knowing the prevalence of NPS guides public health and legal policies to address the problem. The objective of this study was to identify NPS in Brazil through the analysis of oral fluid (OF) samples collected at parties and electronic music festivals. Methods: Anonymous questionnaires and oral fluid samples were collected from volunteers (>= 18 years) who reported the consumption of at least one illicit psychoactive substance in the last 24 h. Oral fluid sample collections occurred at eleven parties and two electronic music festivals over 16 months (2018-2020). Questionnaire answers were matched to oral fluid toxicological results. Results: Of 462 oral fluid samples, 39.2 % were positive for at least one NPS by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The most prevalent NPS was ketamine (29.4 %), followed by methylone (6.1 %) and N-ethylpentylone (4.1 %); however, MDMA was the most commonly identified (88.5 %) illicit psychoactive substance. More than one drug was identified in 79.9 % of samples, with two (34.2 %) and three (23.4 %) substances most commonly observed. Only 5 % of volunteers reported recent NPS consumption. Conclusion: MDMA is still the most common party and electronic music festival drug, although NPS were identified in more than one-third of oral fluid samples. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/02147-0 - Single drop chromatography and its coupling to mass spectrometry: instrumental strategies, development of materials, automation and analytical applications
• Grantee: Fernando Mauro Lanças
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/11849-0 - The toxicology of New Psychoactive Substances (NSP): epidemiology of consumption by oral fluid samples and characterization of their in vitro metabolism
• Grantee: Kelly Francisco da Cunha
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 18/00432-1 - The Toxicology of New Psychoactive Substances (NSP): epidemiology of consumption by the analysis of hair and oral fluid samples
• Grantee: José Luiz da Costa
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants