What Drugs Should Labs Be Testing For In The Age Of Novel Psychoactive Substances?
Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) present a formidable challenge to scientists, police officers, and those in public health alike. The landscape of these substances is continually shifting, with an average of two new drugs coming to market each week. This post seeks to provide insight into the current state of NPS and offer guidance on the drugs laboratories should prioritize for testing. It's particularly important for law enforcement officers to be cognizant of this evolving list, as it directly affects toxicological requests in various cases such as homicides, overdoses, and DUIs.
Navigating the Evolving Landscape of NPS
The rapid introduction of new and varied NPS puts immense pressure on laboratories to stay informed and adapt their testing methodologies accordingly. NPS data is often region-specific and may quickly become outdated, complicating the prioritization process for labs. However, through extensive collaborations and initiatives, CFSRE’s NPS Discovery and the SOFT NPS Committee have compiled a set of recommendations to guide labs in their testing efforts.
Testing Recommendations Based on Current Trends
These recommendations categorize NPS into three tiers based on the current trends and intelligence. They also suggest cut-off concentrations or reporting limits for each drug. Note that these values, given in ng/ml, are based on currently available quantitative data and comparisons with structurally similar NPS within the same subclass.
The drug recommendations are as follows: