2018-2019 Emerging Drugs Task Force update

Click Here for Report

In November 2017, ASCLD Representatives met with representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to talk about resources related to the opioid crisis and other emerging drugs and new psychoactive substances (NPS).  As a result of these discussions, ASCLD is pleased to provide the following resource information here to help labs deal with this national emergency.

Opioid Resources for Forensic Laboratories

  • ASCLD Opioid Press Release:  LINK
  • ASCLD Position Statement to the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis:  LINK
  • Opioid Derivatives: Analysis and Instrumentation (ASCLD Opioid Task Force white paper) LINK
  • Opioid Safety and Handling: Best Practice Recommendations (ASCLD Opioid Task Force white paper)  LINK
  • Drug analytical data monographs (SWGDRUG):  http://www.swgdrug.org/monographs.htm
  • Electronic Mass Spectral Library (SWGDRUG):  http://www.swgdrug.org/ms.htm
  • Opioid storage information (DEA):  https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/21cfr/cfr/1301/1301_75.htm
  • DEA's Real Time Communication Network - For access, provide the information below to Associate Laboratory Director Agnes Winokur at  agnes.d.winokur@nullusdoj.gov. Once the vetting process is complete, the individual will be added to the system and  begin receiving emails from synth-opioids@nullusdoj.gov.  Any emails sent to synth-opioids@nullusdoj.gov will be automatically shared with everyone in the group.  Please note that due to the large demand of requests to join the network, the vetting process is being modified by the DEA Chief Counsel. This may impact the timeliness of a response.
    • Name and Title
    • Name of Organization
    • Location of Organization
    • Contact Information
    • Curriculum Vitae
  • The DEA Laboratory system will assist in providing reference materials, which are not commercially available, to requesting forensic laboratories.  In the past they have provided some commercially available material due the exorbitant cost. However, they do not have the resources to be the nation’s drug reference material supplier. The procedure to obtain reference materials simply involves contacting the DEA regional laboratory in your area and requesting the material via a formal letter. If the local lab does not have the material, the DEA Special Testing and Research Laboratory may be able to synthesize material, if none is available.
  • New Jersey Fusion Center Drug Monitoring Initiative (DMI) Drug Identification Guide:  https://publicintelligence.net/njroic-drug-identification-guide/
  • Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Law Enforcement Naloxone Toolkit – a clearinghouse of resources to support law enforcement agencies in establishing a naloxone program
  • Fentanyl Safety Recommendations for First Responders one-pager and the new first responders’ companion training video Fentanyl: The Real Deal
  • BJA’s Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program (COAP) Resource Center – a central hub of educational materials, descriptions of effective opioid abuse prevention programs, profiles of BJA grantee sites, funding opportunities, and training and technical assistance (TTA) services and support. To learn more about the COAP Resource Center, read the BJA National Training and Technical Assistance Center’s (NTTAC) latest TTA Today blog post

NPS Discovery at the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CSFRE)

The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) at the Department of Justice through a partnership with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is working with NMS Labs to identify newly emergent Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) found in seized drug samples entering the United States.  Links are provided here to facilitate information exchange among all interested stakeholders.

CLICK HERE for a full listing of newly identified NPS along with accompanying links to chemical characterization.

Novel substances identified under the project:

  • 25E-NBOH  (2/27/2018)
  • 4-MDEC  (2/27/2018)
  • N-Acetyl 25I-NBOMe  (2/27/2018)
  • Adamantyl-CHMINACA  (3/20/2018)
  • U-48800  (3/26/2018)
  • ortho-Methylmethoxyacetylfentanyl  (3/27/2018)
  • Despropionyl 3-Methylfentanyl  (3/27/2018)
  • Despropionyl ortho-Methylfentanyl  (3/27/2018)
  • 5Cl-AKB48  (4/10/2018)
  • 5Br-AKB48  (4/10/2018)
  • 5F-EDMB-PINACA  (4/10/2018)
  • N-methyl Norfentanyl  (4/10/2018)
  • N-ethyl Hexylone  (4/19/2018)
  • Benzylfuranylfentanyl (4/27/2018)
  • 3,4-Dichloroethcathinone (DCEC) (5/4/2018)
  • Methylenedioxy-U-47700 (5/18/2018)
  • Isopropyl-U-47700 (5/18/2018)