Abstract
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of use and misuse of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) has been escalating at an exponential rate in the past two decades. Studies on NPS are highly concentrated in relevance to the developed world, while few have been undertaken in the developing countries.MATERIALS & METHODS: This study is observational and cross-sectional in nature; it relies on a web-based survey distributed to a population of (ab)users of psychedelics and NPS; this community was accessible via dedicated online platforms psychedelics users located on the Facebook social communication medium. The aim of the study is to estimate the level of knowledge and the extent of (mis)use in connection with psychoactive substances, including the novel ones (NPS).RESULTS: The number of participants who responded to the survey reached 458 responders. The level of knowledge and (ab)use was relatively high. The majority of participating individuals were Caucasians males from the developed world including the US, the UK, India, and western European countries. The primary religious affiliation was either agnosticism or atheism. Approximately, 26% were diagnosed with the neuropsychiatric condition.CONCLUSION: The NPS phenomenon is still a major concern primarily in the developed world. Additional studies are required in virtual and non-virtual populations. The targeted populations should include; students, medical professionals, academics, patients with psychiatric and neurological abnormalities, convicts and criminals, and even terrorists.
Highlights
The prevalence of use and misuse of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) has been escalating at an exponential rate in the past two decades
Materials and Methods: This study is observational and cross-sectional in nature; it relies on a web-based survey distributed to a population ofusers of psychedelics and NPS; this community was accessible via dedicated online platforms psychedelics users located on the Facebook social communication medium
A critical question remains unanswered; how to estimate the prevalence of theuse of NPS? Can that be estimated via modalities other than observational studies of the web? The answer is yes; it can be inferred by modes other than web analytics, for example; cross-sectional studies and surveys in a real population of users, and retrospectively from; seized batches of illicit substances, databases from criminal records, hospital emergency units, border patrol agencies, police departments, and counter-terrorism units
Summary
The prevalence of use and misuse of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) has been escalating at an exponential rate in the past two decades. The answer is yes; it can be inferred by modes other than web analytics, for example; cross-sectional studies and surveys in a real (non-virtual) population of users, and retrospectively from; seized batches of illicit substances, databases from criminal records, hospital emergency units, border patrol agencies, police departments, and counter-terrorism units. Those modalities of research have been extensively implemented by regulating bodies including; the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Police Organization (INTERPOL), and the European Monitoring gjhs.ccsenet.org. The advent of intranet networks and virtual social communication enabled experts to conduct surveys and cross-sectional analyses promptly and efficiently via the surface web (Best et al, 2014; Hirst et al, 2014; Jensen, 2013; Joh et al, 2017; Lin & Atkin, 2014; Moorhead et al, 2013)
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