Emerging trends in drugs, addictions, and health最新文献

{"title":"Steroid and illicit drug abuse in the health and fitness community: A systematic review of evidence","authors":"Abdullah Al Hamid,&nbsp;Latifah Alomani,&nbsp;Alhanoof Aljuresan,&nbsp;Wasan Alahmad,&nbsp;Zainab Alluwaim","doi":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100172","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100172","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and aims</h3><div>Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) have become a significant concern within the health and fitness community, particularly among athletes seeking enhanced performance. This systematic review investigates the prevalence, motivation, physiological and psychological effects, and risks of AAS use while identifying gaps in knowledge surrounding these substances.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A systematic search of PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted for studies published between 2014 and 2024. Inclusion criteria focused on research exploring athletes’ experiences with AAS, specifically side effects and usage patterns. Data extraction followed a standardized template, and study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tools.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>From 13,387 identified records, 56 studies met the inclusion criteria. AAS use was prevalent across various regions and demographics, with rates ranging from 6.4 % to 29.3 % globally among gym participants, depending on the population and setting. In Saudi Arabia, the prevalence was notably high at 29.3 %, reflecting unique regional factors. Motivations for AAS use consistently included enhancing physical performance, improving body image, and achieving a competitive edge. Awareness of AAS-related risks was alarmingly low across all regions, with only 38.1 % of users recognizing health concerns such as hypertension and hair loss. Misuse was universally associated with severe physical and physiological complications, including cardiovascular issues, and psychological disorders like depression and aggression.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>AAS misuse is a complex issue driven by performance goals and societal pressures. Targeted educational interventions are urgently needed to enhance awareness of the associated risks and legal implications. Future research should prioritize strategies to mitigate misuse and foster healthier practices within fitness communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72899,"journal":{"name":"Emerging trends in drugs, addictions, and health","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100172"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143739710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Athletes’ beliefs about whistleblowing doping misconduct from six European countries: A social cognitive perspective","authors":"Garyfallia Daroglou ,&nbsp;Vassilis Barkoukis ,&nbsp;Lucas R W Fairs ,&nbsp;John Toner ,&nbsp;Luke Jones ,&nbsp;John L. Perry ,&nbsp;Andrei V. Micle ,&nbsp;Nikolaos C. Theodorou ,&nbsp;Sabina Shakhverdieva ,&nbsp;Marius Stoicescu ,&nbsp;Pompiliu-Nicolae Constantin ,&nbsp;Milica V. Vesic ,&nbsp;Nenad Dikic ,&nbsp;Marija Andjelkovic ,&nbsp;Jesús Muñoz-Guerra Revilla ,&nbsp;Elena García Grimau ,&nbsp;Miguel A E Martínez ,&nbsp;Javier Argaya Amigo ,&nbsp;Anne Schomöller ,&nbsp;Adam R. Nicholls","doi":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100181","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100181","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Doping in sports is a worldwide problem which affects the integrity of sports and can endanger the physical and psychological health of athletes. Whistleblowing represents a method for detecting doping offences that may otherwise have gone undetected, but our understanding of whistleblowing against doping offences is limited. The purpose of this paper was to identify whether personal and social psychological variables were associated with intentions to report doping in sport.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>1146 active athletes aged ≥15 years, regularly training and participating in competitions participated to the study. Athletes were informed about study aims and gave informed consent. The sample completed measures related to organizational support, protection and costs of whistleblowing behaviours, justice/legitimacy, personal responsibility, group identification, similarity/favourability, personal benefits, perceived behavioral control, attitudes, and intentions. Internal consistency across multi-item scales was good to excellent (<em>ω</em> range 0.78–.96). Data were analysed using structural equation modeling.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>There were significant relationships between intentions and among perceived costs, benefits, personal factors, and organizational structures. The structural model fit was acceptable (<em>CFI</em> = 0.95, <em>TLI</em> = 0.94, <em>RMSEA</em> = 0.03) and showed that personal responsibility, group identification, and role-model favorability/similarity positively predicted perceived benefits, whereas organizational support/protection negatively predicted perceived costs. In turn, perceived benefits were associated with more positive attitudes and greater perceived behavioral control, which was the strongest direct predictor of whistleblowing intentions.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The findings underscore the complex interplay between personal and organizational factors in shaping attitudes and perceived behavioral control toward whistleblowing, ultimately influencing intentions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72899,"journal":{"name":"Emerging trends in drugs, addictions, and health","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100181"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145319641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Made in China: The international supply of illicit Semaglutide and weight-loss medicines online","authors":"Luke A. Turnock ,&nbsp;Evelyn Hearne ,&nbsp;Lambros Lazuras","doi":"10.1016/j.etdah.2024.100169","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.etdah.2024.100169","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The use of GLP-1 medicines for weight-loss purposes is increasingly widespread. While these drugs are available as prescription medicines in the UK, there is an expansive illicit market for their supply operating online. This study investigates the scope and impact of illicit weight-loss medicines supplied online through a scoping review of an e-commerce platform – Made-in-China.com – where a large number of Chinese-based sellers are advertising GLP-1 medicines and related weight-loss drugs to European consumers.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The researchers undertook a preliminary examination of available product and supplier pages on Made-in-China.com through a search of 10 key terms relating to weight-loss medicines, and qualitative analysis of product and seller pages for the first 30 results returned for each term. Data from these pages was analysed thematically. All searches were conducted in a single month in 2024.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>document how the platform operates, including ease of access, the extent of weight-loss medicine listings offered, and how product is promoted by sellers, including warnings of product being ‘for research use’, as well as physique-related promotional imagery. We explore the potential harms of counterfeit semaglutide being sold in branded packaging that suggests it may be ‘legitimate’, as well as how sellers advertise their ‘legitimacy’ to potential buyers through details of shipping practices, images of lab equipment, and claims of lab tests to verify product quality.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>We consider how public health policy should address the potential harms arising from this website, with particular focus on the easy access to counterfeit prescription-only medicines provided by platforms such as made-in-china.com, which are likely to be substandard and pose a potential risk to users. We also consider the difficulties of regulating international drug supply in the context of differing legal jurisdictions, and the need to educate the public on the risks of illicit market GLP-1 medicines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72899,"journal":{"name":"Emerging trends in drugs, addictions, and health","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100169"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143155097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Uncovering Psychedelics: From Neural Circuits to Therapeutic Applications","authors":"A. Melani,&nbsp;L. Biso,&nbsp;M. Scarselli","doi":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100242","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100242","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Introduction&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Psychedelics, historically celebrated for their cultural and spiritual significance, have emerged as potential breakthrough therapeutic agents due to their profound effects on consciousness, emotional processing, mood, and neural plasticity. This review explores the mechanisms underlying psychedelics’ effects, focusing on their ability to modulate brain connectivity and neural circuit activity, including the default mode network (DMN), cortico-striatal thalamo-cortical (CSTC) loops, and the relaxed beliefs under psychedelics (REBUS) model. Advanced neuroimaging techniques reveal psychedelics’ capacity to enhance functional connectivity between sensory cerebral areas while reducing the connections between associative brain areas, decreasing the rigidity and rendering the brain more plastic and susceptible to external changings, offering insights into their therapeutic outcome. The most relevant clinical trials of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), psilocybin, and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) demonstrate significant efficacy in treating treatment-resistant psychiatric conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety, with favorable safety profiles. Despite these advancements, critical gaps remain in linking psychedelics’ molecular actions to their clinical efficacy. This review highlights the need for further research to integrate mechanistic insights and optimize psychedelics as tools for both therapy and understanding human cognition.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This is a narrative review on the influence of psychedelics on brain connectivity systems and on their mechanism of action. Accordingly, we searched relevant keywords on PubMed, such as “psychedelics AND 5-HT2A”, “psychedelics AND mechanism of action”, “psychedelics AND (default mode network OR DMN)”, “psychedelics AND (Cortico-Striatal Thalamo-Cortical OR CSTC)”, and “psychedelics AND (Relaxed Beliefs Under Psychedel-ics OR REBUS)”. Conclusion: To fully harness the therapeutic potential of psychedelics for the treatment of many psychiatric disorders, future research should clarify the precise role of the set, setting, and psychotherapy, which create a safe and meaningful framework for the individual to process and integrate their experiences. By developing structured therapeutic protocols, improving public education, and investing in training and research, the field can move forward to integrating psychedelics into mainstream psychiatric care while minimizing risks and maximizing benefits. Along the same lines, it would be interesting to clarify the contribution of mystical and psychedelic experiences to therapeutic outcomes, considering recent increasing evidence. These experiences are thought to play a pivotal role in mediating the psychological and emotional transformations observed in psychedelic-assisted therapy. Understanding their precise impact could help optimize treatment protocols and better id","PeriodicalId":72899,"journal":{"name":"Emerging trends in drugs, addictions, and health","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100242"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145789562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding the Impact of Different Nitazenes on Human Cells Using a Cellular Viability Approach","authors":"J.R.P. Pereira,&nbsp;Z. Vaz da Silva,&nbsp;S. Fonseca,&nbsp;A. Quintas,&nbsp;N.R. Neng","doi":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100246","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100246","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Among new synthetic opioids, nitazenes currently stand out, being responsible for countless intoxications worldwide. However, given their novelty, data on their interaction with human cells remain scarce. This study aims to assess the impact of nitazenes on cellular viability.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>SH-SY5Y (human neuroblastoma) cells were used to evaluate the impact of nitazene derivatives on cellular viability via the MTT assay. The cell culture procedure was previously optimised to ensure optimal performance in the cytotoxicity tests. Methanol, acetonitrile and DMSO were tested at several percentages under 1% to assess their suitability as drug vehicles.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Optimal conditions were achieved with 2 × 10⁴ cells/well. Microscopy observation showed that DMSO exhibited the highest toxicity. Between acetonitrile and methanol, there were no observable differences by microscopy. The same result was obtained by the MTT assay, where a 2-way ANOVA revealed no statistically significant differences in viability for all studied percentages. For methanol and acetonitrile, the cell viability results were above 80%. Preliminary MTT results indicate that isotonitazene has a higher effect on cell viability than metonitazene, and that both nitazenes significantly reduce cellular viability compared to morphine.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The obtained results clarify the extent of nitazenes' threat and provide insight into the possible relationship between their chemical structure and their toxicological effects on human health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72899,"journal":{"name":"Emerging trends in drugs, addictions, and health","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100246"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145789572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of Pooled Urine Samples for Assessment of Psychoactive Substances Consumption and for Validation of Methods for Their Identification","authors":"S. Savchuk,&nbsp;A. Novikov,&nbsp;A. Gil,&nbsp;O. Astashkina,&nbsp;L. Risvanova,&nbsp;K. Primukhamedova,&nbsp;M. Augumov,&nbsp;G. Jumataeva,&nbsp;V. Kulbatsky,&nbsp;O. Kadochnikov","doi":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100254","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100254","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Inconsistent results of traditional methods used for assessment of drug abuse situation in particular geographic location require searching for new approaches, one of which is the analysis of pooled urine samples.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Urine samples were collected in various regions of Russia during 2015-2025. For a comparison study, samples from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Belarus were also collected. Aliquots positive for PS were stored in a large container during one month. Validation of analytical methods and retrospective identification of NPS were performed. The Association ASTFCAS.Ru has conducted the interlaboratory comparison testing of samples using GC-MS, HPLC-MS/MSqqq, HPLC-MS/MS(IT) and HPLC-MS/MSqtof and developed wastewater analysis methods in Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. Results and</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Since spike samples differ from real samples by presence and ratio of target compounds, the pooled urine samples were a good additive for validation and development of analytical methods. A decrease in the number of synthetic cannabimimetics has been observed in all regions of Russia since 2019. Club drugs, such as the cocaine, oxybutyrate, antidepressants and psychedelics were more common in samples collected in megacities. Pharmaceutical drugs prevailed in the southern regions of Russia. Pooled urine samples analysis demonstrated high validity and replicability in all countries participated in the study.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72899,"journal":{"name":"Emerging trends in drugs, addictions, and health","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100254"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145789762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Kratom Market and Kratom Products in the Czech Republic – Online Survey","authors":"L. Dékány,&nbsp;N. Govarthnapany,&nbsp;V. Pokorná,&nbsp;R. Gabrhelík,&nbsp;D. Singh,&nbsp;K. Smith,&nbsp;K. Hill,&nbsp;V. Mravčík","doi":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100211","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100211","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is increasingly available in the Czech Republic, where it is currently unregulated and sold as a “collector’s item” with disclaimers against human use. The upcoming Psychomodulatory Substances Act will introduce sales restrictions and quality controls.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study uses a systematic online content analysis to map the Czech kratom e-commerce market. Vendors were identified via Czech-language keyword searches on Google and Seznam.cz. Data were collected on product types, pricing, branding, disclaimers, health claims, and regulatory compliance. Three snapshots are planned: before, 3 months after, and 6 months after the law’s implementation.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Preliminary results from the pre-regulation snapshot show a wide range of kratom products (powders, capsules, extracts) sold online. Vendors often include vague health-related messaging and rarely provide lab testing or age restrictions. Delivery options and vendor transparency vary significantly.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Initial findings indicate an unregulated and potentially unsafe market. The new legislation may reduce availability and improve consumer protections. Ongoing data collection will enable comparison across time points and provide insight into the law’s effectiveness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72899,"journal":{"name":"Emerging trends in drugs, addictions, and health","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100211"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145789766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Emerging Fentanyl use in Northern Italy: Comparative Analysis of 2018 and 2023 screening Data","authors":"E. Levari,&nbsp;G. Stocchero,&nbsp;A. Cambria,&nbsp;G.M. Marchio,&nbsp;A. Coppola,&nbsp;M. Stefani,&nbsp;P. De Lutti,&nbsp;F. Donini,&nbsp;F. Ingenito,&nbsp;L. Bertoldi,&nbsp;C. Fait,&nbsp;L. Pecoraro,&nbsp;A. Anesi","doi":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100237","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100237","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>In response to the escalating spread of Fentanyl and its associated risks of abuse and overdose, the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers' Department of Anti-Drug Policies and Other Addictions unveiled the «National Emergency Plan for Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids» on 12 March 2024. The aim of the Policies was to implement knowledge and focus on the subject, improving specific strategies and interventions spanning pharmacovigilance, drug checking services and enhanced toxicological testing of biological samples. Anticipating this need, our local surveillance system began in 2018 through a virtuous collaboration between Addiction Unit and the Toxicology Laboratory. Despite Italy’s low prevalence at the time, we initiated Fentanyl screening in response to emerging trends in the United States and Europe, establishing baseline data years before national policy implementation. This proactive monitoring has been reactivated since 2023, with enhanced protocols.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Data were collected in two phases: an initial 2018 screening and ongoing monitoring from 2023 onward. In 2018, 309 samples were tested to the immunimetric screening for Fentanyl; the positive samples were washed two times with Methanol and one time with Diethyl ether, then dried. The analyses were realized by UPLC-MS/MS. In 2023, 391 hair samples were collected for clinical purpose from the service of drug addiction (SERD) and from hospital health area in Trento area. The analyses were realized by LC-MS/MS to screen more than 140 NPS including synthetic cannabinoids and phenethylamines.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Of 309 samples collected and analyzed in 2018, 3 (0.97%) tested positive for Fentanyl. In 2023, 5 of 391 samples (1.28%) resulted positive. Preliminary data suggest Fentanyl use occurs primarily among young poly-substance users (demographic details will be presented). All identified cases received immediate risk counselling and treatment adjustments.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>While Fentanyl prevalence remains low in this population, its detection confirms the importance of early surveillance systems, combined to an appropriate therapeutic interventions. These findings underscore the need for: (1) continued toxicological monitoring, (2) targeted prevention for young poly-substance users, and (3) integration of rapid testing into standard addiction care protocols.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72899,"journal":{"name":"Emerging trends in drugs, addictions, and health","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100237"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145790091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Responding to Shifts in Regional Drug Markets: LC-MS/MS Method Development for Synthetic Opioids in Wastewater","authors":"M. Kuloglu Genc,&nbsp;L. Bijlsma,&nbsp;S. Mercan","doi":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100235","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.etdah.2025.100235","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Following the changes in Afghanistan and the enforcement of opium bans, concern has grown over potential shifts in regional drug markets. For Türkiye, situated along major drug trafficking routes, this may open pathways for synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, its analogues, and nitazenes to emerge in the market. This study aims to develop a sensitive LC-MS/MS method for detecting selected synthetic opioids and to verify its integration with a previously validated SPE protocol assessing its applicability in routine wastewater analysis monitoring.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Two reverse phase analytical columns (C18 and biphenyl stationary phases) were evaluated alongside various gradient elution profiles and mobile phases. Method performance was assessed based on resolution, peak shape, and signal intensity. The previously validated SPE protocol was verified through recovery studies and repeatability (intra- and inter-day precision) with LoD and LoQ values estimated using signal-to-noise. The final method was applied to 24-hour composite influent wastewater samples collected from two WWTPs in two different cities of Türkiye. For internal quality control, matrix-spiked samples at different concentrations were also analyzed, and analyte confirmation was based on retention time and ion ratio compliance.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The optimized method provided sharp and well-separated peaks with high signal response for all target compounds. Verification of the sample preparation method demonstrated acceptable recoveries (70–120%) and intra- and inter-day precision (RSD &lt;15%) along with sensitive detection limits for selected synthetic opioids. The presence of analytes in authentic wastewater samples was successfully confirmed through consistent retention times and qualifier/quantifier ion ratios compared to QC samples.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This work presents a robust and sensitive approach suitable for routine WBE monitoring. Its application to influent wastewater demonstrates its potential to detect early trends in synthetic opioid presence within emerging risks in Türkiye’s evolving drug landscape.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72899,"journal":{"name":"Emerging trends in drugs, addictions, and health","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100235"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145790178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Use patterns of classic, novel, and herbal opioids","authors":"Elisabeth Prevete ,&nbsp;Natasha L. Mason ,&nbsp;Kim P． C． Kuypers ,&nbsp;Eef L. Theunissen ,&nbsp;Pablo Mallaroni ,&nbsp;Massimo Pasquini ,&nbsp;Johannes G. Ramaekers","doi":"10.1016/j.etdah.2024.100166","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.etdah.2024.100166","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Data on use patterns and psychological and physical effects of novel synthetic opioids (NSOs) and herbal opioids like kratom <em>(Mitragyna speciosa)</em> lags behind that of classic opioids.</div></div><div><h3>Aims</h3><div>This study aimed to describe use patterns, adverse events, subjective experience and motivation of use with classic, novel and herbal opioids.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A two-part survey was used. The first part examined the prevalence, use patterns (dosage, administration route, duration of effects), and associated adverse events of classic, novel and herbal opioids. The second part delved into detailed retrospective experiences of survey responders with an opioid of preferred choice, mostly kratom.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Between May 2020 and February 2023, 467 respondents started the survey, of which 310 met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 52 % (<em>N</em> = 161) completed the first part, 65.6 % (<em>N</em> = 105) started the second part of which 72 completed. Most respondents were male, highly educated, based in North America or Europe, often using multiple opioids. A total of twenty-seven different compounds were reported, of which hydrocodone/dihydrocodeine, kratom, acetylfentanyl, and U-47700 were used the most. A wide range of doses was reported for each compound. Median effect durations ranged between 3 and 4 h for most of the compounds. Administration routes varied, with oral intake being most prevalent. Fentanyl analogues were often administered intravenously. Physical/psychological adverse events were frequently reported by users of oxycodone, kratom, acetylfentanyl, and U-47700. User reports revealed that both kratom and classic opioids were used for recreational and medical purposes, including ameliorating pain, addiction/withdrawal, anxiety, and mood enhancement.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Psychological and physical adverse events were widely present among classic, novel and herbal opioids suggesting a need for risk monitoring worldwide. Similarities between classic opioids and kratom include medical utility as well as addictive potential.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72899,"journal":{"name":"Emerging trends in drugs, addictions, and health","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100166"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143155063","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}