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“Flakka”:an Emerging Trend Or a Mass Media Phenomenon? Presence ofalpha-pvpin Samples Submitted To a Drug Checking Facility

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2020

M. Grifell ,
P. Quintana ,
M. Torrens ,
a. Palma ,
L. Galindo ,
M. Ventura ,
I. fornís ,
C. Gil ,
F. Caudevilla  and
M. Farré
M. Grifell*
Affiliation:
Parc de salut Mar, institut de neuropsiquiatria i addiccions (IN aD), Barcelona, Spain associació Benestar i desenvolupament aBD, Energy Control, Barcelona, Spain Hospital del mar medical research institute IMIM, Grup de recerca en addiccions, Barcelona, Spain
P. Quintana
Affiliation:
associació Benestar i desenvolupament aBD, Energy Control, Barcelona, Spain institut Català de la Salut (ICS), E aP Raval Sud, Barcelona, Spain
M. Torrens
Affiliation:
Parc de salut Mar, institut de neuropsiquiatria i addiccions (IN aD), Barcelona, Spain Hospital del mar medical research institute IMIM, Grup de recerca en addiccions, Barcelona, Spain Universitat autònoma de Barcelona (U aB), Bellaterra, Spain
a. Palma
Affiliation:
Parc de salut Mar, institut de neuropsiquiatria i addiccions (IN aD), Barcelona, Spain Hospital del mar medical research institute IMIM, Grup de recerca en addiccions, Barcelona, Spain
L. Galindo
Affiliation:
Parc de salut Mar, institut de neuropsiquiatria i addiccions (IN aD), Barcelona, Spain Hospital del mar medical research institute IMIM, Grup de recerca en addiccions, Barcelona, Spain Universitat autònoma de Barcelona (U aB), Bellaterra, Spain
M. Ventura
Affiliation:
associació Benestar i desenvolupament aBD, Energy Control, Barcelona, Spain Hospital del mar medical research institute IMIM, Grup de recerca en addiccions, Barcelona, Spain
I. fornís
Affiliation:
associació Benestar i desenvolupament aBD, Energy Control, Barcelona, Spain
C. Gil
Affiliation:
associació Benestar i desenvolupament aBD, Energy Control, Barcelona, Spain
F. Caudevilla
Affiliation:
associació Benestar i desenvolupament aBD, Energy Control, Barcelona, Spain
M. Farré
Affiliation:
Universitat autònoma de Barcelona (U aB), Bellaterra, Spain Hospital Germans Tries i Pujol IGTP, Farmacología clínica, Badalona, Spain
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

New psychoactive substances (NPS) are drugs that have recently become available, are not worldwide regulated, and often intend to mimic the effect of controlled drugs. α-Pyrrolidinopentiophenone ( alpha-PVP) is a potent stimulant cathinone that is thought to act inhibiting dopamine and noradrenaline reuptake. It has been associated with hallucinations, psychosis and death.

Objectives

To explore the presence ofalpha-PVP from the samples handled to, and analyzed by energy control.

To determine whether it is a new trend in recreational settings.

Methods

all samples presented to energy control were analyzed.

Samples in which alpha-PVP was detected using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry were selected for study.

a Google trend analysis was also performed to asses the media impact of alpha-PVP.

Results

From a total of 20,062 samples, 33 contained alpha-PVP (0.16%). The samples containing alpha-PVP were mostly sold as such (40%) despite a significant proportion being sold as MDM a (15%). Google trend analysis showed an abrupt increase of alpha-PVP searches in 2015 reaching 50% of the MDM a-ones.

Conclusion

Our results suggest presence ofalpha-PVP in the drug market may be increasing, especially as adulterant of other drugs. Severe side effects might be even more serious considering that a significant proportion of users may ignore which substance they are actually using. However, the total amount of alpha-PVP analyzed remains small, and does not support the alarming reports published in media.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Type
EV624
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 33 , Issue S1: Abstracts of the 24th European Congress of Psychiatry , March 2016 , pp. S442
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2016
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