Wastewater-Based Epidemiology Reveals High Rates of NPS and Illicit Drug Use at Festivals

Strategic Insights -

As COVID-19 restrictions ease, festivals have become hotspots for substance use, with people attending these events being identified as being at high risk of substance use. Researchers from the University of Queensland have employed wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to analyze samples collected during the New Year period and a summer festival in a large city in Spain. The results revealed high consumption rates of specific new psychoactive substances (NPS) and established illicit drugs, with 11 NPS and 7 illicit drugs detected across both events.

Key Takeaways:

  • Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a cost-effective and timely method for detecting substance use patterns, complementing traditional public health surveillance data.
  • The study identified high consumption rates of specific NPS and established illicit drugs at the peak of each event, with 11 NPS and 7 illicit drugs detected across both the New Year and summer Festival.
  • The research used liquid chromatography mass spectrometry to analyze influent wastewater samples collected during the New Year period (29-Dec-2021 to 4-Jan-2022) and a summer Festival (29-June-2022 to 12-July-2022) in a large city in Spain.
  • The study detected a dynamic change in NPS use over a period of six months, with statistically significant differences (p<0.05) identified in the presence and absence of substances.
  • The research concluded that WBE can identify the most used drugs and changes in use patterns in a cost-effective and timely manner without any ethical issues, making it a valuable tool for public health information.

Statistics:

  • 11 NPS, including synthetic cathinones, benzodiazepines, plant-based NPS, and dissociatives, were detected across both the New Year and summer Festival (Festivals following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions: Prevalence of new psychoactive substances and illicit drugs, Environment International, 2023;178:108075).
  • 7 illicit drugs were detected across both events, including methamphetamine, MDA, MDMA, ketamine, heroin, cocaine, and pseudoephedrine (Festivals following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions: Prevalence of new psychoactive substances and illicit drugs, Environment International, 2023;178:108075).
  • The study used liquid chromatography mass spectrometry to analyze influent wastewater samples collected during the New Year period (29-Dec-2021 to 4-Jan-2022) and a summer Festival (29-June-2022 to 12-July-2022) in a large city in Spain.

Sources:

  • Festivals following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions: Prevalence of new psychoactive substances and illicit drugs. Environment International, 2023;178:108075.
  • Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, England. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Environment International - www.journals.elsevier.com/environment-international/)
  • Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia.