I like the old stuff better than the new stuff? Subjective experiences of new psychoactive substances.
Allison J Matthews, Rachel Sutherland, Amy Peacock, Joe Van Buskirk, Elizabeth Whittaker, Lucinda Burns, Raimondo Bruno
International Journal of Drug Policy February 1, 2017 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.11.004 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,208 |
| Population | Frequent psychostimulant consumers interviewed for the Australian Ecstasy and related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS) |
| Duration | Last six months on the last occasion of use |
| Topics | DMT LSD MDMA |
| Keywords | Mephedrone New psychoactive substances Subjective ratings Newer substances Stimulant-type nps Newer hallucinogens Traditional drugs Subjective drug ratings Frequent psychostimulant consumers Subjectively rated Rated less favorably User interest User appeal Less appealing Stood out Pleasurable effects Negative experiences |
| Citations | 23 |
| Key findings | Stimulant-type NPS were rated less favorably than ecstasy and cocaine, while DMT showed similar pleasurable effects to LSD with lower negative effects. |
Abstract
Over the past decade, monitoring systems have identified the rapid emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS). While the use of many NPS is minimal and transitory, little is known about which products have potential for capturing the attention of significant proportions of the drug consuming market. The aim of this study was to explore self-reported experiences of three commonly used NPS classes within the Australian context (synthetic cathinones, hallucinogenic phenethylamines and hallucinogenic tryptamines) relative to traditional illicit drug counterparts. Frequent psychostimulant consumers interviewed for the Australian Ecstasy and related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS) (n=1208) provided subjective ratings of the pleasurable and negative (acute and longer-term) effects of substances used in the last six months on the last occasion of use, and the likelihood of future use. Stimulant-type NPS (e.g., mephedrone, methylone) were rated less favourably than ecstasy and cocaine in terms of pleasurable effects and likelihood of future use. DMT (a hallucinogenic tryptamine) showed a similar profile to LSD in terms of pleasurable effects and the likelihood of future use, but negative effects (acute and comedown) were rated lower. Hallucinogenic phenethylamines (e.g., 2C-B) showed a similar negative profile to LSD, but were rated as less pleasurable and less likely to be used again. The potential for expanded use of stimulant-type NPS may be lower compared to commonly used stimulants such as ecstasy and cocaine. In contrast, the potential of DMT may be higher relative to LSD given the comparative absence of negative effects.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on DMT, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- An observational study on the sub-acute effects of mephedrone on mood, cognition, sleep and physical problems in regular mephedrone users Psychopharmacology June 26, 2018
- Acute Effects of 2C-E in Humans: An Observational Study Frontiers in Pharmacology March 18, 2020
- “Go ask Alice, when she’s 10-feet tall”: Psychosocial correlates to lifetime LSD use among a national sample of US adults Journal of Psychedelic Studies June 26, 2019
- The Clinical Toxicology of 4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B): The Severity of Poisoning After Exposure to Low to Moderate and High Doses. Annals of emergency medicine September 1, 2020
- Tusi but not 2C: A Miami-Dade medical examiner case series highlighting the variable drug composition in colored powder paraphernalia. Journal of Forensic Sciences May 1, 2025
and 3 more in the library
Cites 6
- Instability of the ecstasy market and a new kid on the block: mephedrone Journal of Psychopharmacology September 8, 2010
- Dimethyltryptamine (DMT): Prevalence, user characteristics and abuse liability in a large global sample Journal of Psychopharmacology November 27, 2013
- Self-reported prevalence of dependence of MDMA compared to cocaine, mephedrone and ketamine among a sample of recreational poly-drug users International Journal of Drug Policy July 15, 2014
- Mass‐information: mephedrone, myths, and the new generation of legal highs Drugs and Alcohol Today August 30, 2010
- Motivations for new psychoactive substance use among regular psychostimulant users in Australia. International Journal of Drug Policy May 2017
and 1 more in the library