Three samples brought to Australia's first fixed-site drug checking service, CanTEST, were expected to be 4F-MPH, MXE, and 3-MMC but did not match any known substances on-site. Further laboratory analysis using NMR and mass spectrometry identified them as three previously undescribed new psychoactive substances: 4F-α-PiHP, 4F-MBZP, and propylphenidine. The case illustrates how drug checking services can rapidly detect and characterize emerging compounds in the unregulated drug market, supporting harm reduction and public health monitoring.
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies, using psilocybin, LSD, or MDMA, show promise for treating depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance use disorders, with recent randomized controlled trials reporting significant improvements. For example, psilocybin-assisted therapy helped 80% of participants quit smoking at 6 months, and MDMA-assisted therapy led to 86% of participants no longer meeting PTSD criteria. Despite a renaissance in research elsewhere, Australia has conducted no such studies, facing barriers like institutional vetoes. The authors argue addiction researchers should follow these developments, as psychedelics may enhance psychotherapy for trauma-related substance use disorders, potentially paradigm-changing.