Use of papers loaded with ion-exchange resins to adsorb drugs from urine specimens resulted in large losses during the procedure. The first step, removal of drugs from urine specimens, was 25-85% efficient. The second step, elution of drugs from paper for further processing, was approximately 40-70% complete. The efficiency of the first step was decreased and the efficiency of the second step w...

The problem of drug abuse among adolescents in Ireland is a serious and a growing one, according to the reports of the Government Working Party (1971) and of a Churches Working Party on the abuse of drugs (1972). About 1966 the first indications of this new Irish problem were seen in raids on chemists’ shops and various stores of the old Dublin Health Authority pharmacies. At the same time Wals...

OBJECTIVE Mephedrone is a stimulant drug chemically related to amphetamine, with effects similar to those of amphetamine and cocaine. This study aims to analyse fatalities following ingestion of mephedrone in the UK amongst 16- to 24-year-olds in 2009-2013, providing an update on data presented at the 2nd International Conference on Novel Psychoactive Substances. METHODS A literature search w...

OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of drug use disorders in the European Union and Norway. METHOD Based on a systematic literature search and an expert survey, publications after 1990 on prevalence of drug use disorders (DUD, defined as drug dependence and drug abuse or harmful use) in EU countries and Norway were reviewed. The search included both direct estimations based on general popula...

Specific blue-yellow colour vision impairment has been reported in dependent cocaine users and it was postulated that drug-induced changes in retinal dopamine neurotransmission are responsible. However, it is unclear whether these changes are confined to chronic cocaine users, whether they are specific for dopaminergic stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamine and whether they are related to c...

STUDIES of the epidemiology of drug-taking can be carried out by two procedures each of which has its advantages and limitations. The first procedure depends upon the clinical diagnosis of drug-taking. In consequence of the accurate clinical diagnosis of the jaundice associated with intravenous administration of the drug (Marks and Chapple, 1967), de Alarcon and Rathod (1968) were able to detec...

Phenmetrazine (3-methyl-2-phenylmorpholine, compound I11 ; Preludin) is a member of a group of anorexic drugs based on amphetamine or 2-amino-1-phenylpropane (compound I). The metabolism of two of these drugs, amphetamine and methamphetamine, and of the related norephedrine (compound 11) has already been studied in this laboratory (Dring et al., 1970; Caldwell et al., 1972; Sinsheimer et al., 1...

A 43-year-old woman presented with acute lower intestinal bleeding requiring blood transfusion. Multiple initial investigations did not reveal the cause of the bleeding. Colonoscopy performed 2 days later showed features suggestive of ischemic colitis. On detailed history, the patient admitted to using amphetamines, and her urine drug screen was positive for them. She was managed conservatively...

The nociceptin receptor (NOPr), a member of the opioid receptor family, is a target for the treatment of pain and drug abuse. Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ), the endogenous peptide for NOPr, not only modulates opioid antinociception, but also blocks the rewarding effects of several abused drugs, such as morphine, cocaine, and amphetamine. We hypothesized that NOPr agonists, with bifunctional ac...

AIM OF THE STUDY Because of their importance for clinical toxicology, developments of sub-stance abuse reported to the Poisons Information Centre (PIC) Erfurt were investigated and compared to other reasons of human exposures. METHODS A retrospective analysis of all human exposures (exposures of humans to substances in abuse, accidental and unknown circumstances, and suicide attempts) (n=125,...