Andreja Drev, National Institut of Public Health, Slovenia Anonymous collecting and testing of NPS samples as a part of national EWS: advantages and challenges Andreja Drev, National Institut of Public Health, Slovenia

SI EWS EMCDDA EUROPOL NIPH National Europol Unit Ministry of Health Centre for Poisoning Institute of Forensic Medicine DrogArt Stigma National Forensic Laboratory Illicit Drug Section of the GPD Castums Administration Regional coordinators of EWS Coordination of CPTDA MWHFEO Members of regional EWS Prison Administration Slovenian Psychiatric Association NGO Škuc

alerts notices reports legislative changes measures proposals data on NPS intoxications analyses of biological samples Centre for Poisoning & Institute of Forensic Medicine data on appearance & seizures of NPS analyses of seized and collected samples, test purchases Illicit Drug Section of GPD & NFL data on appearance of NPS, dangerous classical drugs, harms, collected samples DrogArt & Stigma legislative changes Ministry of Health Regional EWS coordination data on NPS in EU-EWS NIPH alerts notices reports legislative changes measures proposals data on collected samples in regions

NGO - night life settings 2015/16 8 new NGO info points for collecting (NPS) samples Infopeka Zdrava Pot ArsVitae Labirint JZ Socio DC Šent Low treshold NGO NGO - night life settings DrogArt, Stigma Ada že pove o regijski mreži, povem le o info points for collecting (NPS) samples / prvi vzorec tesiran v NFL v letu 2001 zaradi smrti povezane z uporabo MDMA, vzorce zbirajo tako low treshold NGO kot NGO working in night life settings Svit, E-kavarna Pina

NGO info points for collecting (NPS) samples: procedure of anonymous seizure User brings sample to the NGO info point and delivers the sample to NGO staff NGO staff collects information about the sample (harmful or unexpected effects, how the sample was obtain, etc.) & provides brief counselling (opportunity for harm reduction advice) NGO contacts Police to make anonymous seizure of the sample Police sends sample to National Forensic Laboratory for analysis Police communicates result to NGO Povem še, kdaj se obvešča le uporabnik in kdaj se pošlke alert How the sample was obtaine: on line, by diler, friends Questionnaire The sample is saved in a safe space If a sample is harmful – quick analysis EWS ALERT USER

NGO info points for collecting (NPS) samples - advantages 1. Number of collected samples: more reliable and on time data, sharing the data with important institutions 36 samples 18 NPS 2015 124 samples 48 NPS 2016 148 samples 33 NPS 2017

NGO info points for collecting NPS samples - advantages 2. Monitoring of the drug market: information on drugs and NPS appearing in the country and in regions Drug % MDMA 26% NPS 22% COCAINE 16% LSD+1pLSD 10% AMPHETAMINE 8% MEDICINE 6% OTHER DRUGS 4% NOT DRUG Kaj se pojavlja in kje se pojavlja

NGO info points for collecting NPS samples - advantages 3-MMC 2-CB 4-CEC Methylone 3-Meo-PCP DMT NBOMe 4-CMC DOC GBL N,N-DMT 4-MEC Ethylone 4MEAPH Mephedrone Information on NPS We know what kind of NPSprevalent among users in the country and also localy in regions

Information on NPS detected for the first time 4-MEAP, 4-CEC, tileamin, 5-OH-DMT, AB-PINACA, DMAA Information on NPS detected for the first time 25I-NBOH, MDPHP, N-ethylhexedrone AMB-FUBINACA

NGO info points for collecting (NPS) samples - advantages 3. Detection of harmful samples: reducing risks for intoxication, overdosing and deaths, providing alerts samples containing some other drug and not the drug that was bought samples of drugs with dangerous adulterants samples of drugs with high purity and dangerous drugs Information on harmful samples is available quicker in info points than in toxicological services Dodaj, da se informacija v tej storitvi pridobi prej kot v drugih službah / pri nas velik poudarek tudi na osveščanju uporabnikov

NGO info points for collecting (NPS) samples 12% of samples contained some other drug, not the drug that user bought 8,7% of collected samples were unknown substance Podatki o vzorcih, ki kupljeni kot nekaj drugega

October 2017: blotter bought as LSD, contains 25C-NBOMe & 25B-NBOMe June 2017: metamphetamine sells as 3MMC March 2017: 4-CEC sells as 3MMC

May 2017: mixture 4-CL-PVP, cocaine and lidocain sells as cocaine

2016: cocaine samples (90-95% purity) 2016: sample of 4-fluorobutirfentanil

NGO info points for collecting (NPS) samples - advantages 4. Trends: planning effective responses, measures MDMA Cocaine LSD 3-MMC Medicines (benzodiazepines)

What about users? DrogArt research on evaluation of drug testing service Nightlife drug users & harm reduction programme users Users from both samples found informing about the hazardous substances and adulterants important, namely 95.1% of IDUs, and 96.9% of the nightlife drug users. The results of this research shed a light on the opinion of users from two different groups on the drug testing service as a contribution to risk reduction

Challenges The need to provide firm legislative foundation for anonymous seizure / now agreement between Police and NGO Implementation of collecting samples procedure into NGO mobile units and establishment of info point for MSM The growing number of samples – how to provide on time analysis for all? To provide sufficient and sustainable financing

andreja.drev@nijz.si Andreja Drev Coordinator of SI EWS National Institute of Public Health Trubarjeva 2, 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia +386 1 2441 519 andreja.drev@nijz.si