Організаційно-правове вивчення стану формування, розвитку та розповсюдження полінаркоманії у світі та в Україні

Over the past decade, the dynamics of the prevalence of substance abuse with various classification and legal groups, the growth of illegal circulation of psychoactive substances, falsification of psychoactive alcoholic beverages, alcohol, delinquency and polydrug abuse have become almost epidemic, with combined abuse of psychoactive substances registered mainly among young people. The goal or the study was to review scientific sources on the current state of the problem of formation, development and spread of polydrug abuse in the world and in Ukraine on the principles of medical and pharmaceutical law. To achieve this goal, the methods of regulatory, documentary, comparative, graphical and tabular analysis were used. A review of scientific observations of scientists from around the world and Ukraine found that in the initial stages of polydrug addiction begins with the simultaneous use of psychoactive substances such as alcohol (ethyl alcohol), psychoactive alcohol-containing liquids, beer, psychoactive drugs, tobacco. Explained that the simultaneous (combined, consistent) use of psychoactive substances of different classification and legal groups and psychoactive alcoholic beverages, alcoholic beverages, beer, psychoactive drugs are widespread among different contingents in the early stages of formation and development of polydrug addiction. Established that the most common alcoholic beverage is beer, which contains a combination of several psychoactive substances, so beer addiction is actually a polydrug addiction, it forms and develops faster, and its pharmaceutical correction is more difficult.

Focus on Clozapine Withdrawal- and Misuse-Related Cases as Reported to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) Pharmacovigilance Database

Background: Clozapine is of high clinical relevance for the management of both treatment-resistant schizophrenia and psychotic disturbances with concurrent drug misuse. Although the molecule presents with a range of well-known side-effects, its discontinuation/withdrawal syndrome has been only anecdotally described. Aims: the 2005–2018 European Medicines Agency (EMA) dataset of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) was analyzed to identify and describe possible clozapine withdrawal- and misuse-/abuse-/dependence-related issues. Method: A descriptive analysis of clozapine-related ADRs was performed when available, data on ADRs’ outcome, dosage, and possible concomitant drug(s) were considered. Results: Out of 11,847 clozapine-related ADRs, some 599 (5.05%) were related to misuse/abuse/dependence/withdrawal issues, including 258 withdrawal-related (43.1%); 241 abuse-related (40.2%); and 80 intentional product misuse-related (13.3%) ADRs. A small number of overdose- and suicide-related ADRs were reported as well. Clozapine was typically (69.2%) identified alone, and most (84.7%) fatalities/high-dosage intake instances were reported in association with a history of substance abuse. Conclusions: Previous suggestions about the possibility of a clozapine discontinuation/withdrawal occurrence are here supported, but further studies are needed. However, the misuse/abuse cases here identified might be difficult to interpret, given the lack of studies highlighting the possible recreational use of clozapine. The high-dosage intake, fatal outcomes and clozapine/polydrug abuse issues reported here may, however, be a reason for concern.

Electrochemical analysis of speedball-like polydrug samples

Polydrug abuse holds severe health concerns, pressing the need to detect all drugs present in a sample. This article provides solutions for the simultaneous portable voltammetric detection of cocaine and depressant in speedball-like polydrug samples.