Real or fake? Sourcing and marketing of non-prescribed benzodiazepines amongst two samples of people who regularly use illicit drugs in Australia.

INTRODUCTION: There is concern around non-prescribed benzodiazepine use, particularly with increasing detections of counterfeit products containing high-risk novel compounds. The aims of this study were to investigate how and which non-prescribed benzodiazepines are being sourced; forms, appearance and packaging; and awareness of risks associated with non-prescribed benzodiazepines. METHODS: Data were collected from a sample of Australians who inject drugs or use ecstasy and/or other illicit stimulants on a monthly or more frequent basis, and who reported past 6-month use of non-prescribed benzodiazepines (n = 235 and n = 250, respectively). Data were collected on source, diversion from a known/trusted prescription, product name and aesthetic characteristics for the last non-prescribed benzodiazepine obtained. RESULTS: Amongst participants who injected drugs, 71% reported that their last non-prescribed benzodiazepines were diverted from a known/trusted prescription, compared to 59% of participants who used ecstasy/other stimulants. Sourcing via cryptomarkets was rare. Across both samples, the majority reported last obtaining substances sold/marketed as diazepam or alprazolam. Participants sourcing via non-diverted means were twice as likely to obtain alprazolam. Known sourcing of novel compounds was rare. Amongst participants who used ecstasy/other stimulants, 36% reported confidence in the content/dose of non-prescribed benzodiazepines even when the source is unknown. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Most participants obtained substances sold as classic/registered benzodiazepines, mostly via diverted prescriptions, with a substantial minority potentially unaware of counterfeits circulating. While diverted use undeniably presents risks, tightening of prescriptions in Australia could inadvertently lead to greater supply of novel benzodiazepines as seen internationally, reinforcing prioritisation of demand and harm reduction strategies.

The drug purity discounting task: Ecstasy use likelihood is reduced by probabilistic impurity according to harmfulness of adulterants.

BACKGROUND: Ecstasy typically contains adulterants in addition to, or in lieu of, MDMA which may pose a greater risk to users than MDMA itself. The current study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of adulterant-related informational prompts in reducing Ecstasy use using a novel probability discounting task. METHODS: An online sample of past-month Ecstasy users (N = 278) were randomized to one of four different framing prompt conditions: no prompt; a prompt describing MDMA's effects; a prompt describing adulterants as inert "filler"; or a prompt describing adulterants as pharmacologically-active, potentially-harmful compounds. Each prompt contained general, potential public-health information that was not specifically related to subsequent behavioral tasks. All participants then completed an identical Drug Purity Discounting Task, in which they indicated the likelihood of using a sample of Ecstasy across different probabilities of the sample being impure, and then completed a hypothetical Ecstasy purchasing task. RESULTS: Likelihood of Ecstasy use decreased as impurity probability increased across conditions. Ecstasy use likelihood was highest in the "inert" prompt condition, whereas pharmacologically-active adulterant or adulterant-nonspecific prompts resulted in comparably low likelihood of use. Ecstasy-use likelihood did not differ among conditions when the likelihood of sample impurity was 0. Ecstasy purchasing did not differ among groups. Inelastic purchasing was associated with greater likelihood of using potentially-impure Ecstasy. CONCLUSIONS: Altogether, these data highlight the necessity of education regarding pharmacologically-active, rather than inert, adulterants in Ecstasy, and suggest that increased access to drug checking kits and services may mitigate some of the harms associated with Ecstasy use.

Habilidades para la vida y consumo de drogas en adolescentes escolarizados mexicanos / Life skills and drug use among Mexican adolescent students

Se realizó un estudio transversal cuyo objetivo fue validar siete escalas de habilidades para la vida que la literatura reporta como relacionadas con la prevención del consumo de drogas; que sirvieran para identificar diferencias en dichas habilidades, en adolescentes estudiantes no consumidores y consumidores de alcohol, tabaco, marihuana e inhalables. La muestra estuvo constituida por 425 adolescentes, 196 (46.1%) hombres y 229 (53.9%) mujeres, estudiantes de nivel medio superior del Estado de Morelos, seleccionados de manera aleatoria con una media de edad de 15.8 años y una desviación estándar de 1.97. Para medir las habilidades se utilizaron las escalas validadas en este estudio; para medir el patrón de consumo de drogas se utilizaron los indicadores de la Encuesta Nacional de Adicciones (2008). Los resultados mostraron que los estudiantes no consumidores de alcohol, tabaco, marihuana e inhalables obtuvieron puntajes más altos en las habilidades de empatía, planeación del futuro y resistencia a la presión a diferencia de los consumidores en el último mes. Con base en estos hallazgos, se identifica la necesidad de desarrollar programas de prevención de adicciones para estudiantes adolescentes basados en un enfoque de habilidades para la vida(AU)

A cross-sectional study was carried out with the purpose of validating seven life skills scales reported in the literature as related to drug-abuse prevention, and which identify differences between these skills among non-user adolescent students and users of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and inhalants. The sample was made up of 425 adolescents, 196 (46.1%) male and 229 (53.9%) female. These participants were randomly selected from a private high school in the state of Morelos, and their mean age was 15.8 years, with a standard deviation of 1.97. To measure skills we used the scales validated in this survey, while patterns of drug use were measured with a scale based on the National Addiction Survey (2008) indicators. Results showed that students who did not use alcohol, tobacco, cannabis or inhalants scored higher in skills of empathy, future orientation and peer pressure resistance, compared to those who had used these substances in the last month. On the basis of these findings it would seem necessary to develop drug-abuse prevention programs for high school students based on a life skills training approach(AU)

Narcomenudeo: un neologismo para describir la venta de estupefacientes / Narco-retailing: a neologism to describe the sale of narcotic drugs / Narcovarejo: um neologismo para descrever a venda dos estupefacientes

El narcomenudeo se considera un fenómeno multicausal, que se manifiesta en los entornos próximos a los puntos de venta de sustancias estupefacientes, ligado a manifestaciones de conflictividad social, de violencia y de criminalidad. Los comportamientos de los actores involucrados en la compra, venta y consumo de drogas ilícitas propician alteraciones a la convivencia pacífica de los habitantes de esos sectores, tanto en su ámbito individual como colectivo. Esta investigación tuvo por objetivo identificar la estructura y funcionamiento del fenómeno del narcomenudeo a partir de un método de inteligencia policial, para asesorar la toma de decisiones de los comandantes de Policía en la planeación y prestación del servicio, así como en la interacción con las autoridades político-administrativas. La indagación permitió identificar las propiedades del narcomenudeo y las características de la organización delincuencial que monopoliza la actividad criminal en la ciudad de Pereira (Risaralda), Colombia. La metodología que se utilizó para la construcción subjetiva del fenómeno del narcomenudeo fue de carácter descriptivo cuali-cuantitativo, bajo la teoría de las representaciones sociales con enfoque fenomenológico. El narcomenudeo es un fenómeno asociado al mercado del narcotráfico, estructurado con el propósito de favorecer y maximizar las ganancias de un actor ilegal, basándose en un modelo organizacional que le garantiza estabilidad y protección al asentarse en el territorio, lo que se acompaña de mecanismos para constreñir el comportamiento colectivo de las personas

The so-called retail drug-dealing or retail narco-business is a multi-cause phenomenon taking place at the vicinities of points-of-sale where narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances are sold, in association with social conflictivity, violence, and criminality manifestations. The behavior of actors involved in the sale, purchase and use of illegal drugs promotes disturbances affecting the pacific co-existence of the inhabitants in these sectors, in both their individual and collective environment. The purpose of this investigation was to identify the structure and functioning of the retail-drug dealing phenomenon from a policy intelligence method, in order to provide Police commanders with advice in their decision-making regarding planning and service rendering, as well as their interaction with political-administrative authorities. Fact-finding helped identify the drug dealing properties and the features of the criminal organization having monopolized this criminal activity in the city of Pereira (Risaralda), Colombia. The methodology used for the subjective construction of the retail narco-business was of a descriptive qualification and quantification nature, based on the theory of social representations with a phenomenological approach. The phenomenon of retail drug-dealing is associated to the drug trafficking market; it is structured for the purpose of favoring and minimizing the profits of an illegal actor based on an organizational model that will secure him both stability and protection at the time of settling in the territory, together with mechanisms leading to constrain people’s collective behavior

O narcovarejo é considerado um fenômeno multicausal, aquele se manifesta nos ambientes próximos aos pontos da venda das substâncias estupefacientes, ligado às manifestações de conflito social, da violência e da criminalidade. Os comportamentos dos atores envolvidos na compra, na venda e no consumo de drogas ilícitas causam alterações à convivência pacífica dos habitantes daqueles setores, tanto quanto em seu espaço individual quanto coletivo. Esta pesquisa teve pelo objetivo identificar a estrutura e a operação do fenômeno do narcovarejo a partir de um método de inteligência policial, para recomendar à tomada de decisão dos comandantes da Polícia no planejamento e fornecimento do serviço, bem como na interação com as autoridades político-administrativas. A indagação permitiu identificar as propriedades do narcovarejo e as características da organização criminal que monopoliza a atividade criminal na cidade de Pereira (Risaralda), Colômbia. A metodologia que foi usada para a construção subjetiva do fenômeno do narcovarejo foi do caráter descritivo qualitativo-quantitativo, sob a teoria das representações sociais com um enfoque fenomenológico. O narcovarejo é um fenômeno associado ao mercado do narcotráfico, estruturado a fim favorecer e maximizar os ganhos de um ator ilegal, sendo baseado em um modelo organizacional que lhe garanta a estabilidade e a proteção ao ser baseado no território, que é acompanhado por mecanismos para restringir o comportamento coletivo das pessoas

El lavado de activos en la economía formal colombiana:aproximaciones sobre el impacto en el PIB departamental / Money laundering in formal Colombian economy: approaches to its impact on the GDP of Colombian political-administrative divisions / Lavagem de dinheiro na economia formal colombiana: aproximações do impacto sobre o PIB departamental

El lavado de dinero es uno de los fenómenos más representativos de la economía subterránea en Colombia, ya que en él convergen los dineros obtenidos de actividades ilegales. Para entender cómo funciona y cómo se inserta el dinero mal habido en la economía formal, se realizó una aproximación mediante el análisis del dinero incautado por las autoridades sobre este crimen, con el propósito de establecer cuál ha sido su posible impacto en el comportamiento del PIB de los departamentos político-administrativos del país. En este orden de ideas, se encontró que el lavado de activos afecta más a los departamentos ubicados en la zona fronteriza, por la posibilidad de salida al exterior y a las grandes ciudades de economía dinámica

Money or asset laundering is one of the most representative practices of the Colombian underground economy since it is the convergence point of proceeds from unlawful activities. In order to understand how it works and how ill-gotten money is inserted in formal economy, an approximation was made by analyzing criminal-derived proceeds confiscated by the authorities for the purpose of determining their impact on the behavior of the GDP in the Colombian departments, the country’s political-administrative divisions. In this respect it was found that those departments located in bordering zones are more affected due to the opportunities they offer as an easy way to leave the country or move to other cities where more dynamic economies are enjoyed

A lavagem de dinheiro é um dos fenômenos mais representativos da economia subterrânea na Colômbia porque nele converge o dinheiro obtido de atividades ilegais. Para entender como funciona e como o dinheiro sujo é inserido na economia formal, uma abordagem foi feita através da análise do dinheiro apreendido pelas autoridades sobre esse crime, a fim de estabelecer o que foi o potencial impacto sobre o comportamento do PIB dos departamentos políticos e administrativos do país. Nesse sentido, verificou-se que a lavagem de dinheiro afeta mais departamentos localizados na zona fronteiriça, pela possibilidade de viajar fora do país e às principais cidades de economia dinâmica

Características de personas detenidas en Costa Rica por infracción de la ley de sicotrópicos / Characteristics of sparing persons in Costa Rica for infraction of the law of psichotropic drugs

Se analizaron las características de 72 hombres y 11 mujeres detenidos en Costa Rica por infracción a la Ley de Sicotrópicos (1993-1994). El grupo de edad más frecuente se citó entre los 20 y 39 años (mayoría solteros). El grupo de caracterizó porque tenían una escolaridad de mala a regular. Los oficios de esos pacientes son de escasa exigencia intelectual. Las drogas más utilizadas son la cocaína y la mariguana. No todos los signo encontrados en la intoxicación por cocaína son propios de esta droga. Esto podría ser atribuido al consumo de cocaína y mariguana