Environmental monitoring and surveillance studies of pharmaceuticals routinely examine occurrence of substances without current information on human consumption patterns. We selected 10 streams with diverse annual flows and differentially influenced by population densities to examine surface water occurrence and fish accumulation of select psychoactive medicines, for which consumption is increasing in the Czech Republic. We then tested whether passive sampling can provide a useful surrogate for exposure to these substances through grab sampling, body burdens of young of year fish, and tissue specific accumulation of these psychoactive contaminants. We identified a statistically significant (p < 0.05) relationship between ambient grab samples and passive samplers in these streams when psychoactive contaminants were commonly quantitated by targeted liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, though we did not observe relationships between passive samplers and tissue specific pharmaceutical accumulation. We further observed smaller lotic systems with elevated contamination when municipal effluent discharges from more highly populated cities contributed a greater extent of instream flows. These findings identify the importance of understanding age and species specific differences in fish uptake, internal disposition, metabolism and elimination of psychoactive drugs across surface water quality gradients.
- MeSH
- Water Pollutants, Chemical analysis MeSH
- Pharmaceutical Preparations * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Environmental Monitoring MeSH
- Cities MeSH
- Water MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
- Cities MeSH
BACKGROUND: The emergence of psychoactive designer drugs has significantly increased over the last few years. Customs officials are responsible for the control of products entering the European Union (EU) market. This control applies to chemicals in general, pharmaceutical products and medicines. Numerous products imported from non-EU countries, often declared as 'bath salts' or 'fertilizers', contain new psychoactive substance (NPS). REVIEW: These are not necessarily controlled under international law, but may be subject to monitoring in agreement with EU legislation. This situation imposes substantial challenges, for example, for the maintenance of spectral libraries used for their detection by designated laboratories. The chemical identification of new substances, with the use of powerful instrumentation, and the time needed for detailed analysis and interpretation of the results, demands considerable commitment. The EU Joint Research Centre endeavors to provide scientific support to EU Customs laboratories to facilitate rapid identification and characterisation of seized samples. In addition to analysing known NPS, several new chemical entities have also been identified. Frequently, these belong to NPS classes already notified to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) by the European Early- Warning System (EWS). CONCLUSION: The aim of this paper is to discuss the implementation of workflow mechanisms that are in place in order to facilitate the monitoring, communication and management of analytical data. The rapid dissemination of this information between control authorities strives to help protect EU citizens against the health risks posed by harmful substances.
The treated effluent from sewage treatment plants (STP) is a major source of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) that enter the aquatic environment. Bioaccumulation of 11 selected psychoactive pharmaceuticals (citalopram, clomipramine, haloperidol, hydroxyzine, levomepromazine, mianserin, mirtazapine, paroxetine, sertraline, tramadol and venlafaxine) was examined in Zivny Stream (tributary of the Blanice River, the Czech Republic), which is a small stream highly affected by effluent from the Prachatice STP. Six of the 11 pharmaceuticals were detected in grab water samples and in passive samplers. All pharmaceuticals were found in fish exposed to the stream for a defined time. The organs with highest presence of the selected pharmaceuticals were the liver and kidney; whereas only one pharmaceutical (sertraline) was detected in the brain of exposed fish. Fish plasma and muscle samples were not adequate in revealing exposure because the number of hits was much lower than that in the liver or kidney. Using the criterion of a bioaccumulation factor (BAF) ≥ 500, citalopram, mianserin, mirtazapine and sertraline could be classified as potential bioaccumulative compounds. In combination, data from integrative passive samplers and fish liver or kidney tissue samples were complimentary in detection of target compounds and simultaneously helped to distinguish between bioconcentration and bioaccumulation.
- MeSH
- Water Pollutants, Chemical pharmacokinetics MeSH
- Pharmaceutical Preparations MeSH
- Waste Disposal, Fluid MeSH
- Sewage MeSH
- Rivers MeSH
- Fishes * MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
This article challenges drug prohibition advocated by UN conventions as the prevailing regulatory model for psychoactive substances, highlighting its ineffectiveness, harmfulness and outdated nature. At the same time, the conventions exclude some psychoactive substances from international regulation, leaving control to individual countries. Presenting an innovative approach, this article outlines an approach to the legal regulation of psychomodulatory substances (psychoactive substances with low health and societal risk) in non-medical contexts. Acknowledging the potential benefits of such psychoactive substances and balancing them with potential harms, it suggests stringent rules for marketing, safety, and preventing sales to minors. This approach aims to quell illicit markets, safeguard vulnerable populations, and encourage controlled use. Through a case study of the Czech Republic's introduction of a new category of psychomodulatory substances, this article showcases a paradigm shift from the prevailing repressive approach to drug regulation. This adaptive model effectively navigates the regulatory void, offering a viable alternative to the UN's prohibition framework.
- MeSH
- Drug and Narcotic Control * legislation & jurisprudence MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Substance-Related Disorders prevention & control epidemiology MeSH
- Psychotropic Drugs * supply & distribution MeSH
- Illicit Drugs legislation & jurisprudence MeSH
- Legislation, Drug MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
Prohibice je globálně dominantním konceptem pro regulaci a kontrolu psychoaktivních látek již téměř 70 let. Její účinnost a legitimita jakožto udržitelného řešení problémů spojených s existencí psychoaktivních látek ve společnosti byla opakovaně zpochybněna. Je založena na normativním předpokladu, že užívat psychoaktivní látky jinak než v léčebném kontextu se nesmí a nemedicínské nakládání s nimi by mělo být přísně trestáno. To znemožňuje využití širokého spektra regulačních, veřejnozdravotních, preventivních a harm reduction strategií a je příčinou snížení společenského blahobytu a škod v oblasti lidskoprávní, zdravotní a sociální. Je proto načase nahradit prohibiční paradigma moderní regulací, která vezme v potaz různou škodlivost psychoaktivních látek a jejich rizika, ale také přínosy psychoaktivních látek v oblasti duševního zdraví a pohody, životního stylu a sociální koheze. Toto nové paradigma (tzv. chytrá regulace) by zejména mělo akceptovat užívání psychoaktivních látek mimo terapeutický kontext, používat trestní právo výjimečně jako krajní nástroj regulace lidského chování, regulovat dostupnost látek na základě jejich škodlivosti, regulovat rizikový profil produktu, přísně regulovat marketing a reklamu, chránit před nabídkou psychoaktivních látek nezletilé a okolí uživatelů, chránit legální trh před nabídkou látek z nelegálního trhu a využívat ekonomické nástroje pro regulaci poptávky a jako zdroj prostředků pro prevenci a léčbu.
Prohibition has been the globally dominant concept for the regulation and control of psychoactive substances for nearly 70 years. Its effectiveness and legitimacy as a sustainable solution to the problems associated with the existence of psychoactive substances in society has been repeatedly questioned. It is based on the normative assumption that the use of psychoactive substances for other than therapeutic purposes is not allowed, and non-medical supply should be severely punished. This precludes the use of the full range of regulatory, public health, prevention, and harm reduction strategies, reduces well-being, and increases harms for the human-rights, health, and social cohesion. It is time to replace the prohibitionist paradigm with modern regulation that considers the different harms and risks of psychoactive substances, but also the benefits of psychoactive substances for mental health and well-being, lifestyle, and socialisation. This new paradigm (the so-called 'smart regulation') should accept non-medical use of psychoactive substances, apply criminal law as an exceptional tool to regulate human behaviour, regulate the availability of substances according to their harmfulness, regulate the risk profile of the product, strictly regulate marketing and advertising, protect minors and 'others' from the use and supply of psychoactive substances, protect the legal market from the supply of substances from the illegal market, and use economic instruments to regulate demand and to subsidise prevention and treatment.
- Keywords
- dekriminalizace drog,
- MeSH
- Drug and Narcotic Control legislation & jurisprudence MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Behavior, Addictive MeSH
- Substance-Related Disorders MeSH
- National Health Programs * MeSH
- Psychotropic Drugs * MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Review MeSH
In this study we analyzed and characterized 29 psychoactive remedies, illicit drugs and their metabolites in single stages of wastewater treatment plants in the capital city of Slovakia. Psychoactive compounds were present within all stages, and tramadol was detected at a very high concentration (706 ng/L). Significant decreases of codeine, THC-COOH, cocaine and buprenorphine concentration were observed in the biological stage. Consequently, we were interested in the possibility of alternative tertiary post-treatment of effluent water with the following aquatic plants: Cabomba caroliniana, Limnophila sessiliflora, Egeria najas and Iris pseudacorus. The most effective plant for tertiary cleansing was I. pseudacorus which demonstrated the best pharmaceutical removal capacity. After 48 h codeine and citalopram was removed with 87% efficiency. After 96 h were all analyzed compounds were eliminated with efficiencies above 58%.
- MeSH
- Biodegradation, Environmental MeSH
- Water Pollutants, Chemical analysis metabolism MeSH
- Environmental Monitoring MeSH
- Waste Disposal, Fluid MeSH
- Wastewater analysis MeSH
- Psychotropic Drugs analysis metabolism MeSH
- Plants metabolism MeSH
- Illicit Drugs analysis metabolism MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
VÝCHODISKA: Informace o nových psychoaktivních látkách (NPS), jejich rizicích a účincích jsou nedostatečné. Analýza obsahu diskuzních fór může přinést chybějících data. CÍLE: Cílem monitoringu obsahu českých internetových diskuzí o NPS bylo popsat a kategorizovat obsah diskuzí a zaznamenat případné trendy v užívání a nákupu NPS. METODY: Dvě české diskuznífóra pro uživatele NPS s 1916 příspěvky byla zpracována prostřednictvím kvalitativní a kvantitativní analýzy obsahu. Monitorována byla jednou měsíčně od ledna 2013 do prosince 2014. VÝSLEDKY: V roce 2014 byl zaznamenán celkový úbytek diskutujících í-20 %) a příspěvků (-49 %). V tomto roce také poklesl pod/7 příspěvků, jež se zabývaly tzv. komerčními produkty / sběratelskými předměty (z 20 % všech příspěvků na 0,3 %) narostl podíl příspěvků na téma tzv. výzkumných chemikálií (z 36 % všech příspěvků na 45 %). To může být dáno sníženou nabídkou komerčních produktů a odrazujícívlastnostmi těchto produktů (neznámé složení, nepředvídatelné účinky). Oblíbené české internetová obchody podle diskutujících ukončily v roce 2013 svou Vinnost; začaly být využívány zahraniční e-shopy. Závěry nalýzy se částečně shodují s informacemi z dalších zdrojů. ZÁVĚRY: Diskuzní fóra hrají stěžejní roli v získávání nformací o NPS a jsou svépomocným nástrojem pro -nižování případných rizik pro uživatele NPS. Analýza jejich )bsahu může přinést informace pro široké pole odborníků, zejména jako součást komplexního přístupu k mapování fenoménu NPS.
BACKGROUND: Given the lack of information about new psychoactive substances (NPS), their effects and risks, analysis of online discussion forums is a useful method to obtain this data. AIMS: Monitoring of Czech online discussions about NPS aimed to describe and categorise their content and identify trends in the use and purchase of NPS. DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS: The content of two Czech discussion forums for users of NPS with 1916 posts was analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The f orifums were monitored on a monthly basis from January 2013 to December 2014. RESULTS: The forums contain a wide range of knowledge about NPS and their purchase which is based on users' own experience, supplemented by information from other sources. A substantial decrease in the number of discussants (-20%) and posts N (-49%) was observed in 2014. In that year, the share of the posts dedicated to so-called "commercial products/collectors' items" decreased (from 20% to 0.3% of all the posts), while the share of posts discussing so-called 'research chemicals" increased (from 36% to 45%). Qualitative analysis suggests that this may be due to a reduced supply of commercial products on the market and the discouraging properties of such products, such as their unknown and changing content and unpredictable effects. As indicated by the posts, the most popular Czech web-based shops wound up their activities in 2013. Consequently, the members o1 the forums started to purchase more frequently from foreign online shops that they had previously avoided. To some extent, the outcomes of the analysis correspond with the relevant information on NPS use available from other sources. CONCLUSIONS: Discussion forums play a crucial role as a source of information about NPS and are a self-help tool for reducing the potential risks for their users. When made part of a comprehensive monitoring approach, analysis of forum's content can yield information for a wide array of experts.
- MeSH
- Blogging MeSH
- Drug-Seeking Behavior MeSH
- Internet MeSH
- Drug and Narcotic Control methods MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Psychotropic Drugs * administration & dosage chemical synthesis toxicity MeSH
- Drug Users statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
