Nationwide assessment of illicit drug consumption patterns in South Korea using wastewater-based epidemiology during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022).
J Hazard Mater
; 476: 135090, 2024 Sep 05.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-39024765
ABSTRACT
Illicit drugs have become a crucial global social issue, with South Korea experiencing a continuous increase in the number of offenders and drug smuggling. This study employed wastewater-based epidemiology to investigate consumption patterns of 8 illicit drugs and their 7 metabolites during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022) in South Korea. Ten compouds were detected in the wastewater influent. Methamphetamine (METH) was prevalent in samples, followed by amphetamine and ecstasy (MDMA). Interestingly, MDMA and ketamine (KET), which were not detected in previous Korean studies conducted before COVID-19 pandemic, were detected in this study. METH exhibited the highest consumption rates, decreasing from 16.6 to 12.4 mg/day/1000 people between 2020 and 2022, while MDMA increased over the three years (mean 1.16, 1.24, and 1.62 mg/day/1000 people in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively) (p < 0.05). Significant correlations were identified between regional income levels and the consumption rates of METH (p < 0.01), MDMA (p < 0.01), and KET (p < 0.05). Furthermore, METH and MDMA consumption rates in cities were positively correlated with the number of drug offenders arrested and local clubs in those cities. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into shaping regulatory policies related to illicit drugs and future studies.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Drogas Ilícitas
/
Águas Residuárias
/
COVID-19
Limite:
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Hazard Mater
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article