New psychoactive tryptamines, which mimic the effects of regulated hallucinogens, pose a potential public health risk. Analysis of 25,296 samples submitted to a harm-reduction organization from 2006 to 2015 identified 436 tryptamines, of which 232 (53.21%) were not regulated. The most common unregulated tryptamine was 4-AcO-DMT, for which no human studies exist. Unregulated tryptamines were more likely to contain a single unadulterated substance. The number of tryptamine samples increased over time, and there were significant differences between client expectations and actual analysis results for regulated versus unregulated groups. Further research is needed to address health risks.
Among 8324 drug samples submitted to a Spanish harm-reduction organization between 2014 and 2015, nine were gummy formulations—a novel delivery form for psychoactive substances. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed that 55.5% of these gummies contained multiple drugs. The most common substance was 25N-NBOMe, found in 66.7% of samples; other detected substances included 2C-E, 2C-D, allylescaline, cocaine, THC, ketamine, MDMA, and caffeine. Only 25N-NBOMe was present in an active dosage. Two-thirds of the gummies did not contain the substance the consumer expected, indicating risks of unintended effects.
Between 2009 and 2015, 56 samples of the potent hallucinogen 25I-NBOMe were identified among 21,198 drug samples submitted to a Spanish harm-reduction service. Most samples (42.8%) were sold as LSD, while only 21.4% were sold as 25I-NBOMe itself; others were misrepresented as related substances or even gummy bears. All 25I-NBOMe samples appeared after 2012, with a peak in 2013. The substance has high affinity for serotonin 5HT2a receptors and has been linked to toxicity. The authors call for more research and for physicians to be aware of novel psychoactive substances and their clinical differences.