Global Drug Survey 2018 – the latest version of the world’s largest drug survey – has just been launched. Prof Adam Winstock asks for your help in assessing the new drugs on the block.
All things novel
Can you help us define and describe the new drugs on the block? Your experiences will help us to share information with others on what drugs are worth a mention, what’s best avoided and how to stay safe.
With over 500 new drugs being identified in the last five years, we’re known for having our ear to the ground and learning, before others, about drugs that come onto the market.
Our global drug survey helps us gain a unique understanding of new drugs:
• form (eg pill, powder, liquid)
• how people take it
• what type of other drug it most resembles (eg cannabis, trips, stimulants, opioid)
• how long it takes for the effects to come on
• how long a single dose lasts
• intensity of effect
• positive and negative effects
Most research on drugs is based on toxicological analyses, web scrapings of user forums and emergency department presentations, whereas our research comes straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. That’s 100,000 horses in fact; all sharing their personal stories with us, in depth and in their own way – something we’re really proud of. And since we started, we’ve produced some of the most highly cited papers on mephedrone, synthetic cannabinoids, DMT, the NBOMe series, methoxetamine and LSD analogues (and we have a new one on ayahausca coming soon).
In previous years, drugs were designed to mimic cannabis (the synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists or SCRAs) and stimulants (cathinones like mephedrone and methylone), however, last year we found that new drugs were commonly being produced to mimic psychedelics. With the rise of fentanyl analogues and other depressant drugs, GDS aims to get a better insight into how they are being used and who is using them. That way we can share information and help support people to stay safe.
If you’ve tried a new drug in the last year and want to share your experiences and opinions anonymously, please take 15-30 minutes to contribute to the world’s largest drug survey www.globaldrugsurvey.com/GDS2018
Prof Adam Winstock is founder and CEO of GDS, consultant psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist, GDS2018 #KnowYourDrugs