The prevalence of new psychoactive substances in biological material - a three-year review of casework in Poland.
Drug testing and analysis January 1, 2016 Piotr Adamowicz, Joanna Gieroń, Dominika Gil et al. 87 citations
New psychoactive substances (NPS) appeared in 112 of 1,058 analyzed forensic cases from 2012–2014, with 75 cases in 2014 alone. The overall prevalence of NPS (15.1–17.6%) was similar to that of amphetamine alone (15.1–16.5%). Cathinones made up 88% of the NPS detected, most frequently 3-MMC, α-PVP, and pentedrone. In 35% of cases, a single NPS was the only drug found; two or more NPS appeared in 19% of cases; and most cases (65%) involved NPS alongside conventional drugs such as amphetamines, cannabinoids, cocaine, or benzodiazepines. NPS were often found in drivers' blood, posing a challenge for toxicologists due to limited data on their effects on psychomotor performance.