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Ethylone: A synthetic cathinone emerging in Barcelona

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2020

M. de Dios ,
E. Monteagudo ,
A. Trabsa ,
M. Grifell ,
L. Galindo ,
P. Quintana ,
A. Palma ,
M. Ventura ,
D. Sanagustin  and
S. Pérez
...Show all authors
M. de Dios
Affiliation:
Institut de Neuropsiquiatria i Addiccions, Psychiatry, Barcelona, Spain
E. Monteagudo
Affiliation:
Institut de Neuropsiquiatria i Addiccions, Psychiatry, Barcelona, Spain
A. Trabsa
Affiliation:
Institut de Neuropsiquiatria i Addiccions, Psychiatry, Barcelona, Spain
M. Grifell
Affiliation:
Institut de Neuropsiquiatria i Addiccions, Psychiatry, Barcelona, Spain
L. Galindo
Affiliation:
Institut de Neuropsiquiatria i Addiccions, Psiquiatria, Barcelona, Spain
P. Quintana
Affiliation:
Energy Control, Asociación Bienestar y Desarrollo, Psiquiatria, Barcelona, Spain
A. Palma
Affiliation:
Institut de Neuropsiquiatria i Addiccions, Psiquiatria, Barcelona, Spain
M. Ventura
Affiliation:
Energy Control, Asociación Bienestar y Desarrollo, Energy Control, Asociación Bienestar y Desarrollo, Barcelona, Spain
D. Sanagustin
Affiliation:
Institut de Neuropsiquiatria i Addiccions, Psiquiatria, Barcelona, Spain
S. Pérez
Affiliation:
Institut de Neuropsiquiatria i Addiccions, Psychiatry, Barcelona, Spain
M. Torrens
Affiliation:
Institut de Neuropsiquiatria i Addiccions, Psychiatry, Barcelona, Spain

Abstract

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Introduction

Synthetic cathinones, the active component in “bath salts”, have surfaced as a popular alternative to other illicit drugs of abuse, such as cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy), and methamphetamine, due to their potent psychostimulant and empathogenic effects.

Objectives

To describe the presence of Ethylone in samples delivered to energy control from 2014 to 2015 in Spain.

Methods

The total number of samples analyzed from 2014 to 2015 was 8324. Only those samples containing ethylone were studied. They were analyzed by energy control, a Spanish harm reduction NGO that offers the possibility of analysing the substances that users report. Analysis was done by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Results

From June 2014 to December 2015, 8324 samples were delivered to EC. From this samples 28 (0.336%) contained ethylone. Twelve (0.144%) were delivered as MDMA, representing a 0.783% of the samples delivered as such, and only one sample (0.012%) delivered as MDMA presented ethylene as an adulterant along with MDMA. Other 6 samples (0.072%) were delivered as ethylone and 10 samples (0.120%) were delivered as unknown pills.

Discussion

Ethylone consumption is found to be an emerging issue according to the results of our samples, an increase of such is found during 2015. This might be traduced as an increase of ethylone in the drug market, but a sample selection bias should be considered as samples were voluntary delivered by consumers. An alarming phenomenon is that in some occasions ethylone is sold as MDMA, but effects take longer to occur and last longer, which may lead to an overdose if used as MDMA.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Type
e-Poster viewing: Substance related and addictive disorders
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 41 , Issue S1: Abstract of the 25th European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2017 , pp. s860
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2017
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