Snapshot of narcotic drugs and psychoactive substances in Kuwait: analysis of illicit drugs use in Kuwait from 2015 to 2018

Abdullah Al-Matrouk,Dalal Al-Shammeri,Haider Bojbarah,Mohammed Al-Hasan,Hanan Mohammed,Husain Naqi,Meshaal Haider,Neamat Al-Abkal

doi:10.1186/s12889-021-10705-z

Abstract

BackgroundThe misuse of illicit substances is associated with increased morbidity and mortality; thus, substance abuse is a global health concern. The Arabian Gulf region is considered a crossing point and a consumer of illicit drugs. However, a lack of laboratory-based research has limited the scientific assessment of drug misuse in the Arabian Gulf region. Thus, an up-to-date analytical representation of the drug situation is warranted.MethodsWe investigated the type and quantity of detained narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances from 2015 to 2018, representing a population of approximately 4 million people, in addition to the number of abusers and mortality among abusers. In total, 6220 cases from the Narcotic and Psychotropic Laboratory and 17,755 cases from the Forensic Toxicology Laboratory were reviewed and analyzed. Substances were identified and documented using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry.ResultsCannabis, including marijuana, was the most seized substance, followed by heroin, opium, and cocaine. Amphetamines, including methamphetamine, in the form of powder or pills, were seized in larger quantities than other psychoactive substances. The most consumed substances were, in order, amphetamines (including methamphetamine), benzodiazepines, cannabis, and heroin. We identify the common drugs in postmortem specimens, according to sex, from suspected drug-related deaths. The most common single drug identified were heroin, benzodiazepines, and methamphetamine. Similarly, the multiple-drug cocktail of heroin–benzodiazepines, cannabis–benzodiazepines, and cannabis–amphetamines, were detected frequently.ConclusionsThe data shows that cannabis is the leading type of illicit substance seized. Deaths resulting from benzodiazepines and heroin abuse were the highest in the single drug category, while heroin-benzodiazepines combination deaths were the highest in the multiple-drug category. Methamphetamine was the most abused illicit drug in Kuwait. These findings revealed the illicit drug abuse situation in the State of Kuwait, in a region that suffers from the scarcity of information regarding illicit substances. Thus, providing valuable information for drug enforcement, forensic analyst, health workers on national and international levels.

Highlights

The misuse of illicit substances is associated with increased morbidity and mortality; substance abuse is a global health concern
Psychotropic substances that were received by the Narcotics and psychotropic laboratory (NPL) and scheduled and documented in this report include methamphetamine, synthetic cannabinoids, Khat, and psilocybin mushrooms, which can all be weighed in grams (Fig. 2), and methamphetamine, amphetamine, tramadol, and benzodiazepines, which can all be counted as pills or capsules (Fig. 3)
The current study focused on cases with positive drug outcomes: the presence of at least one illicit drug listed in the narcotics or psychotropic substances schedules

Summary

Introduction

The misuse of illicit substances is associated with increased morbidity and mortality; substance abuse is a global health concern. The use of illicit drugs is a global concern These substances for which extra-medical uses have been prohibited and criminalized under international drug control treaties [1]. Illicit substance abuse imposes enormous costs on the global health and economy [4]. The use of these substances carries risks of adverse health outcomes. Drug abuse is accountable for roughly 1.5% of the global disease burden and was responsible for more than 750,000 premature deaths in 2017 [3] The use of these substances increases the risks of adverse health conditions, including but not limited to disability, viral infections, sepsis, thrombosis, and endocarditis [5]. The International Narcotics Control Board [6] estimates that the cost of medical care associated with drug misuse is more than $200 billion annually

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