Joe Van Buskirk

The rise of new psychoactive substance use in Australia.

New Psychoactive Substances are now a feature of Australias recreational drug market. Little is known, however, about the prevalence of use, the characteristics of people who use them and the relationship between the NPS and ecstasy markets. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of NPS use amongst a group of regular ecstasy users in Australia. Participants were recruited if they had used ecstasy at least six times in the previous six months, lived in a capital city and were over 16 years of age. Purposive sampling was used, recruiting through universities and colleges, word of mouth and street press. 654 participants were recruited in 2013. Respondents who had used an NPS in the past six months were compared to those who had not. NPS were used by 44% of the total sample. In 2013 2C-I (14%) and 2C-B (8%) were the most prevalent NPS. Respondents in the NPS group were younger and reported more frequent use of more types of drugs. They were also more likely to rate the purity of ecstasy as low relative to those in the no NPS group. NPS are now an established part of Australias recreational drug scene and NPS with hallucinogenic effects are now used most commonly. Monitoring systems need to develop capacity to monitor this highly dynamic market.

Monitoring drug markets in the Internet age and the evolution of drug monitoring systems in Australia

In Australia, drug monitoring systems have been in place for more than a decade allowing for the measurement of ongoing trends in drug use and the detection of new drugs. The Drug Trends Unit at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre monitors drugs through four separate systems. The Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) measures the price, purity, and availability of drugs that are primarily injected. The Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS) monitors psychostimulants that are used recreationally. The National Illicit Drugs Indicator Project (NIDIP) analyzes indicator data including drug-related hospitalizations and deaths. Finally, the Drugs and Emerging Technologies Project (DNeT) analyzes the role of the Internet in the procurement and use of novel psychoactive substances. This paper provides an overview of each component of the system, demonstrating how the system has evolved over time.

I like the old stuff better than the new stuff? Subjective experiences of new psychoactive substances

BACKGROUND Over the past decade, monitoring systems have identified the rapid emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS). While the use of many NPS is minimal and transitory, little is known about which products have potential for capturing the attention of significant proportions of the drug consuming market. The aim of this study was to explore self-reported experiences of three commonly used NPS classes within the Australian context (synthetic cathinones, hallucinogenic phenethylamines and hallucinogenic tryptamines) relative to traditional illicit drug counterparts. METHODS Frequent psychostimulant consumers interviewed for the Australian Ecstasy and related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS) (n=1208) provided subjective ratings of the pleasurable and negative (acute and longer-term) effects of substances used in the last six months on the last occasion of use, and the likelihood of future use. RESULTS Stimulant-type NPS (e.g., mephedrone, methylone) were rated less favourably than ecstasy and cocaine in terms of pleasurable effects and likelihood of future use. DMT (a hallucinogenic tryptamine) showed a similar profile to LSD in terms of pleasurable effects and the likelihood of future use, but negative effects (acute and comedown) were rated lower. Hallucinogenic phenethylamines (e.g., 2C-B) showed a similar negative profile to LSD, but were rated as less pleasurable and less likely to be used again. CONCLUSION The potential for expanded use of stimulant-type NPS may be lower compared to commonly used stimulants such as ecstasy and cocaine. In contrast, the potential of DMT may be higher relative to LSD given the comparative absence of negative effects.

Trends in new psychoactive substances from surface and “dark” net monitoring

16 www.thelancet.com/psychiatry Vol 4 January 2017 17% experienced changes in sleeping patterns (mostly lack of sleep), and 23% experienced increased anxiety. Participants noted that other areas of their lives were aff ected: 6% indicated confl ict within the family, 8% experienced fi nancial implications when they had to purchase the medication privately, 9% indicated that they had to travel to and from the clinic several times to check whether medication was available, and 2% had to take time off from work because their level of functioning was aff ected. A concern raised by participants was that they had not been adequately informed of the situation where the medications had been out of stock and when medication dosages had been reduced or substituted, even though South African policies and legislation emphasise the rights of users of mental health care to fully participate in their treatment plan. In conclusion, apart from the costs involved both for the health system as well as service users, when medication is not available it causes hardship in the lives of the individuals who are aff ected, especially service users in low-income and middle-income countries who are among the poorest. The provision of essential medications is a basic human right. Lack of medication ultimately denies individuals with mental disorders their right to access quality health-care services, enjoy a good quality of life, and to live with dignity. Lack of access to correct medication cannot be seen solely as a logistical or policy issue; it is a human rights issue because it violates an individual’s right to quality health care and dignity. The aspiration of the Sustainable Development Goals of “leaving no-one behind” must be honoured in the name of users of mental health care.

Who are the consumers of emerging psychoactive substances? A typology of Australian ecstasy and related drug users

Abstract presented at the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs Conference 2013, 24-27 November 2013, Brisbane, Australiapresented at the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs Conference 2013, 24-27 November 2013, Brisbane, AustraliaAbstract presented at the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs Conference 2013, 24-27 November 2013, Brisbane, AustraliaAbstract presented at the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs Conference 2013, 24-27 November 2013, Brisbane, AustraliaAbstract presented at the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs Conference 2013, 24-27 November 2013, Brisbane, Australia

The prevalence and correlates of neurological illness and traumatic brain injury (TBI) among Australian frequent drug users

Issue: Harmful use of alcohol is a leading cause of disease burden for young Australians. Little is known about the context of adolescent alcohol initiation and the development of harmful patterns of consumption. This research reports descriptive baseline data from a national Australian longitudinal cohort. Approach: Parent-child dyads were recruited nationally via NSW, Tasmanian and WA secondary schools. During 2010/11, 1929 parent–child dyads completed baseline surveys. Measures include: alcohol use and harms; rules; parental style and monitoring; family relationships, confl ict and relations; peer substance use and approval; and delinquency. Key Findings: Sixty-eight percent of adolescents (M = 12.5 yrs) had tried alcohol. Parent factors including frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption (÷2 (3, N=1880) = 79.27, P < 0.00005; ÷2 (3, N=1879) = 63.75, P < 0.00005), drinking alcohol in the presence of their child (÷2 (3, N=1879) = 81.63, P < 0.00005) and younger age of alcohol initiation (÷2 (1, N=1785) = 20.13, P < 0.00005) were associated with adolescent alcohol initiation. Children with higher levels of rule breaking and aggressive behaviour (÷2 (1, N=1903) = 44.43, P < 0.0005; ÷2 (1, N=1893) = 13.40, P = 0.0003), who were male (÷2 (1, N=1904) = 6.72, P = 0.0095) and who had at least some friends who had tried alcohol (÷2 (3, N=1896) = 506.94, P < 0.00005) and who approved of drinking alcohol (÷2 (2, N=1903) = 91.21, P < 0.00005) were more likely to have tried alcohol themselves. Implications: To address current levels of binge drinking and long term harms from alcohol, it is essential to understand the context of early-adolescent alcohol use and how harmful trajectories may develop. Conclusion: Future analyses of this cohort will provide insight into the impact of contextual factors on adolescent alcohol use and inform public health policy and prevention.

Corrigendum to “Characterising dark net marketplace purchasers in a sample of regular psychostimulant users” [International Journal of Drug Policy 35 (2016) 32–37]

The authors regret that there is an inconsistency between figures presented in the abstract and those reported in the text of the manuscript. Specifically, the abstract states that 68 out of 800 participants in the sample reported recent darknet use, while the manuscript states that 66 of the 745 participants reported recent darknet use. The latter numbers are correct for the analyses performed, that is, 66 of the 745 interviewed participants had purchased from the darknet in the preceding 12 months, and comprise the sample included in the regression model. While the former numbers are correct for the entire sample of recruited participants, they are not appropriate for the analyses performed. The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.