Are the NPS commonly used? An extensive investigation in Northern Italy based on hair analysis.
Journal of analytical toxicology September 15, 2023 Cristina Calvetti, Alberto Salomone, Andrea Verzeletti et al. 7 citations
An analysis of 847 hair samples from Italian adults aged 18–40, collected during 2020–2021 for driving relicensing or drug withdrawal monitoring, found that 8.4% tested positive for new psychoactive substances (NPS). Ketamine and its metabolite norketamine were the most common, appearing in 56 and 35 samples respectively. Fentanyl, norfentanyl, 4-ANPP, MDMB-4en-PINACA, N,N-DMT, 5-chloro AB-PINACA, α-PHP, and methcathinone were detected in fewer than six samples each. The low detection rate contrasts with the perceived widespread availability of NPS in Italy but aligns with similar hair analysis studies. The authors plan to expand the study population to include a broader age range and more diverse origins.