NOVEL PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES RESOURCES

Analytical Information

The CFSRE and the SOFT NPS Committee have established the below recommendations for NPS scope based on information from extensive collaborations, partnerships, and initiatives which yield national perspectives. For more information about our scope recommendations, email the NPS Discovery Program Manager or the SOFT NPS Committee Chairs, Kayla Ellefsen and Alex Krotulski

NPS Scope Recommendations

The SOFT NPS Committee also publishes analytical profiles of emerging novel psychoactive substances and new drug articles periodically throughout the year in ToxTalk. Below is a list of some of the most recent publications:

• Advances in Analytical Methodologies for Detecting Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS): A Review
• New and Emerging “Nitazene” Analogues Appearing in Medicolegal Death Investigations: NPyrrolidino Protonitazene & N-Desethyl Isotonitazene 
• Seized drug reporting of NPS helps to guide regional toxicological practice: A 17 month review between 2022 and 2023
• Review of analytical methods for screening and quantification of fentanyl analogs and novel synthetic opioids in biological specimens 
• "It's Alive!": Protonitazene, the Latest ‘Frankenstein Opioid’
• The Repurposing of Tianeptine
• To Drop or Not to Drop: An NPS Question
• The Increasing Scope of Designer Benzodiazepines: Details on 4’-Chloro Deschloroalprazolam and Clonazolam
• New Drugs on the Block: Spring 2022 Line-Up 

NPS Libraries and Drug Identification Tools: 

• Cayman Spectral Library
• Cayman GC-MS Drug Identification Tool
• NPS Discovery GC-MS Library (Readable in Agilent MSD ChemStation) 
• NPS Discovery LC-QTOF Library (Readable with SCIEX LibraryView) 
• HighResNPS 

DRUG MONOGRAPHS

Here you can find short communications for emerging NPS and drug monographs containing detailed information about pharmacological drug class, metabolism, blood concentrations, effects / toxicity, and analysis. Click on a drug name below to access the document:

• 4F-MDMB-BINACA
• Flualprazolam 
• Isotonitazene 
• Mitragynine/7-Hydroxymitragynine   
• N-Ethylpentylone 

SWGDRUG has graciously allowed this committee to link to their website.

Additionally, the CFSRE and NPS Discovery publishes new drug monographs on their website: NPS Discovery Monographs

NPS Literature  

The SOFT Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) Committee has compiled a downloadable list of references to provide laboratories with information on current NPS. Information may include, but is not limited to, prevalence, toxicology, pharmacology, analysis, and challenges of emerging drugs. 

NPS Committee Literature

Useful Links

Analytical

• SWGDRUG
• Southern Association for Scientists
• Midwest Association for Toxicology and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
• TIAFT NPS Committee
• Compound Search
• NPS Discovery
• NPS Scope Recommendations

Legislation

• DEA
• FDA
• Health Canada

 Analytical Standards

• Cerilliant
• Lipomed
• Cayman Chemical
• LGC Standards
• Cedarlane Labs

 Drug User Forums

• Drugs Forum
• EROWID

 Trend Reports

• NPS Discovery Trend Reports
• UNODC NPS Early Warning Advisory
• DEA Emerging Threat Reports
• NFLIS Publications
• NFLIS DEA Synth-Opioids Real-time Communication Network  
• National Early Drug Warning System (subscribe to weekly briefings)
• Health Canada Drug Analysis Service and Cannabis Laboratory Trend Reports