Abstract

Electronic dance music (EDM) festivals have become a popular venue for recreational drug use, including the use of traditional stimulants like 3,4-methylenendioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and novel psychoactive substances (NPS). Using this cohort of people who use drugs recreationally, this study sought to collect biological specimens and self-reported drug use data from EDM festival attendees in the United States to monitor regional and temporal trends related to NPS use and turnover between 2014 and 2017. Oral fluid samples were collected at three United States EDM festival locations, including Miami, Florida (2014 to 2017); Tampa, Florida (2017) and Atlanta, Georgia (2017). Samples were screened by liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and confirmed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Over the 4 years, 1,233 oral fluid samples were collected. With respect to self-reported drug use, 63% of respondents reported medicinal and/or recreational drug use within the last week. When comparing 4 years of data from Miami (2014 to 2017), NPS trends showed the disappearance of alpha-PVP after 2014 followed by a significant increase in ethylone positivity in 2015 and rapid decrease in 2016. Dibutylone was identified for the first time in Miami 2016, and N-ethyl pentylone was identified for the first time in Miami 2017. Additionally, 3,4-methylenendioxymethamphetamine positivity steadily increased from 2014 to 2017. A comparison across study sites (Miami, Tampa and Atlanta) and specific trends with respect to novel simulant use are described within. Using this opportunistic approach of monitoring drug trends, we have found that peak positivity of novel stimulants usually is within a year of their first detection. Understanding the dynamics of NPS drug markets will allow laboratories to plan for resource allocation and scope updates within a timely fashion to assist with the detection and confirmation of these emerging substances in samples submitted for forensic analysis.

中文翻译：

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使用电子舞曲音乐节参加者的前哨人群评估新型精神活性物质的趋势

摘要

电子舞蹈音乐（EDM）节已成为娱乐性毒品使用的流行场所，包括使用传统的兴奋剂，例如3,4-亚甲二氧基甲基苯丙胺（MDMA）和新型精神活性物质（NPS）。这项研究使用了一群消遣性使用毒品的人，旨在收集美国EDM音乐节参加者的生物标本和自我报告的毒品使用数据，以监测与2014年至2017年间NPS使用和营业额相关的区域和时间趋势。在美国三个电火花加工节上收集了流体样品，包括佛罗里达州的迈阿密（2014年至2017年）；佛罗里达州坦帕（2017）和乔治亚州亚特兰大（2017）。通过液相色谱-四极杆飞行时间质谱法对样品进行筛选，并通过液相色谱-串联质谱法进行确认。四年来，收集了233份口腔液样品。关于自我报告的药物使用情况，有63％的受访者在上周内报告了药物和/或娱乐性药物使用情况。比较迈阿密（2014年至2017年）的4年数据时，NPS趋势显示，2014年后α-PVP的消失，其次是2015年乙炔阳性率显着增加，2016年迅速下降。在迈阿密首次发现了二丁酮2016年，以及N-乙基戊酮在2017年迈阿密首次被鉴定。此外，从2014年到2017年，3,4-亚甲二氧基甲基苯丙胺阳性率稳步上升。研究地点（迈阿密，坦帕和亚特兰大）的比较以及新型模拟物使用的具体趋势在其中描述。使用这种机会主义方法来监测药物趋势，我们发现新型兴奋剂的阳性峰值通常在首次检测到的一年之内。了解NPS药品市场的动态将使实验室能够及时计划资源分配和范围更新，以协助检测和确认提交法医分析样品中的这些新兴物质。