[ZeroHedge] A new study has identified over a dozen new psychoactive drugs in the wastewater of various sites worldwide.
The trend of increasing new psychoactive substances (NPS) and the difficulty for law enforcement to control their circulation prompted a study by the University of Queensland, Australia, which was part of an international wastewater surveillance program.
The study covered a three-year period—from 2019 to 2022—and 47 cities in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, China and Brazil.
The lead scientist Dr Richard Bade told UQ News that they detected 18 NPS in the wastewater samples from around the world.
“In Australia, we found seven new psychoactive substances, including mephedrone, ethylone and eutylone, which all have a similar effect to MDMA or cocaine,” Bade said.
“We also found an increase in similar drugs in Europe, where there were high levels of 3-methylmethcathinone, particularly in Spain and Slovenia.
WHAT ARE NPS DRUGS
New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) are synthetic or semi-synthetic substances that are designed to mimic the effects of traditional illicit drugs such as cocaine, cannabis, or amphetamines.
They are sometimes called “designer drugs” or “legal highs” because they are often created to circumvent existing drug laws and regulations.
NPS can be chemically similar to illegal drugs, or they may have entirely new chemical structures that have not been previously identified.
Some examples of NPS include synthetic cannabinoids, cathinones, and phenethylamines.
These substances are often marketed as legal alternatives to traditional drugs, and are sold online, in head shops, or on the street.
One of the main concerns with NPS is that their effects are often not well understood, and they can be much more potent than traditional drugs, which can lead to a range of health risks, including overdose, addiction, and long-term health consequences.
As NPS are often marketed as “legal highs”, many people assume that they are safe to use, but this is not the case.
It’s important to remember that just because a substance is legal or unregulated it does not mean that it is safe or without risk. 
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