Toxicological Analysis of Illicit Drugs Seized in Naples (Italy) and First Detection of Synthetic Cannabinoids during COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has consistently raised the number of drug seizures, in United States as in Europe. The COVID-19 pandemic has also changed the typology of seizures from “more traditional” drugs to New Psychoactive Substances (NPSs), depending on geographical area. In Europe, the most frequent...
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/8/1488 |
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| author | Anna Carfora Raffaella Petrella Giusy Ambrosio Ilaria Fracassi Stefano Festinese Alessandro Feola Carlo Pietro Campobasso |
| author_facet | Anna Carfora Raffaella Petrella Giusy Ambrosio Ilaria Fracassi Stefano Festinese Alessandro Feola Carlo Pietro Campobasso |
| author_sort | Anna Carfora |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic has consistently raised the number of drug seizures, in United States as in Europe. The COVID-19 pandemic has also changed the typology of seizures from “more traditional” drugs to New Psychoactive Substances (NPSs), depending on geographical area. In Europe, the most frequent NPSs are synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) and cathinones, nonetheless synthetic opioids and phenethylamines are widely used. The aim of the study is the detection of NPS and other substances of abuse available in the black market, by quali/quantitative methods in LC-MS/MS and GC-MS. From 2018 to 2021, 268 seizures occurred in total and were analyzed by the Forensic Toxicology Laboratory (FTL) of Naples (Italy). The distribution of analyzed seizures over the years is the following: 53 in 2018, 61 in 2019, 89 in 2020 and 65 during the first semester of 2021. Cannabis was the most detected drug both in hashish and marijuana seizures, followed by cocaine > heroine > prescribed drugs > ketamine–amphetamine MDMA. No NPSs were seized until June 2021, when NPSs were found in two different seizures: Case #1 showed a bar of Cannabis resin containing a low level of Δ<sup>9</sup>THC = 0.57% associated to SC AB-FUBINACA in 4.5%; Case #2 showed a vegetal resinous substance (Δ<sup>9</sup>THC = 0.27%) with SC 5F-APINACA (4.1%) associated with methadone (1.0%). The detection of NPSs is alarming evidence that can lead to an increase in the risk of overdose or other negative and unpredictable consequences, such as violent or self-harming behavior in unaware users of cannabis derivatives considered of “<i>natural</i>” origin. |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:21:55Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
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| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-f7d89f424e0b43d29ca893155fa9025e2023-11-30T21:29:54ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322022-08-01108148810.3390/healthcare10081488Toxicological Analysis of Illicit Drugs Seized in Naples (Italy) and First Detection of Synthetic Cannabinoids during COVID-19 PandemicAnna Carfora0Raffaella Petrella1Giusy Ambrosio2Ilaria Fracassi3Stefano Festinese4Alessandro Feola5Carlo Pietro Campobasso6Forensic Toxicology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni, 80138 Naples, ItalyForensic Toxicology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni, 80138 Naples, ItalyForensic Toxicology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni, 80138 Naples, ItalyForensic Toxicology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni, 80138 Naples, ItalyForensic Toxicology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni, 80138 Naples, ItalyForensic Toxicology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni, 80138 Naples, ItalyForensic Toxicology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni, 80138 Naples, ItalyThe COVID-19 pandemic has consistently raised the number of drug seizures, in United States as in Europe. The COVID-19 pandemic has also changed the typology of seizures from “more traditional” drugs to New Psychoactive Substances (NPSs), depending on geographical area. In Europe, the most frequent NPSs are synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) and cathinones, nonetheless synthetic opioids and phenethylamines are widely used. The aim of the study is the detection of NPS and other substances of abuse available in the black market, by quali/quantitative methods in LC-MS/MS and GC-MS. From 2018 to 2021, 268 seizures occurred in total and were analyzed by the Forensic Toxicology Laboratory (FTL) of Naples (Italy). The distribution of analyzed seizures over the years is the following: 53 in 2018, 61 in 2019, 89 in 2020 and 65 during the first semester of 2021. Cannabis was the most detected drug both in hashish and marijuana seizures, followed by cocaine > heroine > prescribed drugs > ketamine–amphetamine MDMA. No NPSs were seized until June 2021, when NPSs were found in two different seizures: Case #1 showed a bar of Cannabis resin containing a low level of Δ<sup>9</sup>THC = 0.57% associated to SC AB-FUBINACA in 4.5%; Case #2 showed a vegetal resinous substance (Δ<sup>9</sup>THC = 0.27%) with SC 5F-APINACA (4.1%) associated with methadone (1.0%). The detection of NPSs is alarming evidence that can lead to an increase in the risk of overdose or other negative and unpredictable consequences, such as violent or self-harming behavior in unaware users of cannabis derivatives considered of “<i>natural</i>” origin.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/8/1488synthetic cannabinoidsnew psychoactive substancesillicit drugs in seizuresCOVID-19 pandemiccannabis |
| spellingShingle | Anna Carfora Raffaella Petrella Giusy Ambrosio Ilaria Fracassi Stefano Festinese Alessandro Feola Carlo Pietro Campobasso Toxicological Analysis of Illicit Drugs Seized in Naples (Italy) and First Detection of Synthetic Cannabinoids during COVID-19 Pandemic Healthcare synthetic cannabinoids new psychoactive substances illicit drugs in seizures COVID-19 pandemic cannabis |
| title | Toxicological Analysis of Illicit Drugs Seized in Naples (Italy) and First Detection of Synthetic Cannabinoids during COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full | Toxicological Analysis of Illicit Drugs Seized in Naples (Italy) and First Detection of Synthetic Cannabinoids during COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Toxicological Analysis of Illicit Drugs Seized in Naples (Italy) and First Detection of Synthetic Cannabinoids during COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Toxicological Analysis of Illicit Drugs Seized in Naples (Italy) and First Detection of Synthetic Cannabinoids during COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_short | Toxicological Analysis of Illicit Drugs Seized in Naples (Italy) and First Detection of Synthetic Cannabinoids during COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_sort | toxicological analysis of illicit drugs seized in naples italy and first detection of synthetic cannabinoids during covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | synthetic cannabinoids new psychoactive substances illicit drugs in seizures COVID-19 pandemic cannabis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/8/1488 |
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