Drug testing and analysis
January 1, 2014
Lucy Burns, Amanda Roxburgh, Allison Matthews et al.
78 citations
In 2013, 44% of a sample of 654 regular ecstasy users in Australia had used a new psychoactive substance (NPS) in the past six months. The most common NPS were the hallucinogens 2C-I (14%) and 2C-B (8%). Users of NPS were younger, used a wider variety of drugs more frequently, and were more likely to rate ecstasy purity as low compared to those who did not use NPS. NPS have become a regular part of Australia's recreational drug scene, and monitoring systems need to adapt to track this rapidly changing market.
Drug and alcohol dependence
July 1, 2012
Raimondo Bruno, Allison J Matthews, Matthew Dunn et al.
58 citations
More than a quarter (28%) of regular ecstasy users in Australia had used an emerging psychoactive substance (EPS) in the past six months, most often a stimulant like mephedrone (17%) rather than a psychedelic like 5-MeO-DMT (13%). Users of stimulant EPS resembled mainstream ecstasy users in demographics and risk behaviors, while psychedelic EPS users were a distinct subgroup who started ecstasy earlier, used more multiple substances (cannabis, inhalants, GHB, ketamine), and experienced more legal, psychological, and social problems. The demographic similarity of stimulant EPS consumers and positive responses to these drugs, combined with declining ecstasy purity, suggest stimulant EPS may expand further into ecstasy markets and pose greater public health risks.
The International journal on drug policy
February 1, 2017
Allison Matthews, Rachel Sutherland, Amy Peacock et al.
23 citations
Frequent psychostimulant consumers in Australia rated stimulant-type new psychoactive substances (NPS), such as mephedrone and methylone, less favorably than ecstasy and cocaine in terms of pleasurable effects and likelihood of future use. DMT, a hallucinogenic tryptamine, showed a similar profile to LSD for pleasurable effects and future use likelihood, but its negative acute and comedown effects were rated lower. Hallucinogenic phenethylamines like 2C-B had a negative profile similar 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 than for common stimulants, while DMT's potential may be higher relative to LSD due to fewer negative effects.
The International journal on drug policy
November 1, 2021
Amy Peacock, Daisy Gibbs, Olivia Price et al.
12 citations
Over one-third of Australians who regularly use illegal stimulants reported testing their drugs' contents or purity, with 86% of those using a colorimetric reagent kit. Most testing occurred within 24 hours of planned use, and 24% tested for quantity. Among those testing a substance sold as MDMA, 87% detected MDMA. People who were younger, male, used new psychoactive substances, accessed community health services for drug reasons, sold drugs, or sought peer and online information were more likely to use drug checking. The findings suggest that in the absence of government-sanctioned services, people already engage in drug checking with suboptimal tools and without professional guidance.
Journal of Humanistic Psychology
May 3, 2023
Sascha Thal, Michelle Wieberneit, Jason M. Sharbanee et al.
6 citations
A systematized review of 82 sources examined best therapeutic practices during administration sessions with serotonergic psychedelics and entactogens as adjuncts to psychotherapy. Information about substances, dosages, number of sessions, common client issues, types of experiences, music, and therapeutic conduct was summarized and compared. The effects of different therapeutic models, methods, techniques, and complex interventions on outcomes have not been rigorously investigated. Most available evidence was anecdotal, limiting conclusive statements about appropriate therapeutic conduct. Essential components of therapeutic interventions remain largely tentative, necessitating systematic investigation.
Drug and alcohol review
May 1, 2025
Joel Keygan, Breanna Willoughby, Raimondo Bruno et al.
1 citation
Receiving a high-dose MDMA drug alert was associated with intentions to reduce or avoid the drug in a hypothetical scenario. In an online survey of Australians who had used MDMA pills or capsules in the past year, 45.4% of those shown an alert said they would not use the drug, compared to 20.7% of the control group. Among alert recipients, 46.7% said they would use and reduce their initial dose, versus 69.0% in the control group. Those who received an alert were about three times more likely to report intending not to use rather than taking a smaller dose, compared to the control group. Different phrasings of the alert did not significantly change intended behavior.