Role of Analytical Screening in the Management and Assessment of Acute Recreational Drug Toxicity

Abstract

There is an increasing range of new psychoactive substances. In 2014 there were 101 new substances detected in Europe and reported to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) through their Early Warning System (EWS). For clinicians who treat individuals who present to healthcare facilities with acute toxicity related to the suspected use of a NPS or classical recreational drug, they may not be aware of the substance(s) reported to have been used. In this chapter, we discuss how clinicians make a diagnosis of acute toxicity related to the use of recreational drugs and NPS, and the role of analytical screening in managing acute recreational drug and NPS related toxicity.