Analysis of drugs of abuse and contaminants in individuals under drug surveillance programs: A study in hair samples.
Forensic science international June 1, 2025 A Y Simão, P Y Tokuyama, G Zampieri et al. 1 citation
Analysis of over 900 hair samples from drug users in São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, found that 29.8% tested positive for at least one drug. Cocaine and its metabolites were most common, with benzoylecgonine in 111 cases, cocaine in 88, and cocaethylene in 37. Cannabinoids were also frequent, including THC in 57 cases and CBN in 48. Adulterants like phenacetin (76 cases), levamisole (14), and strychnine (3) were detected, along with the synthetic cannabinoid 5F-MDMB-PINACA (5 cases) and ketamine (9). Poly-drug use was prevalent, often combining THC with cocaine or benzoylecgonine. The findings illustrate the evolving drug landscape in Brazil and the utility of hair analysis for monitoring drug use.