Annual report on the Home Office forensic early warning system (FEWS), 2019 to 2020
Updated 4 April 2023
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DSTL/PUB142756
31 August 2022
Dstl
Counter Terrorism and Security
Porton Down
Salisbury
Wilts
SP4 0JQ
Release conditions
© Crown copyright (2022), Dstl.
This material is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3) or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Executive summary
Dstl was tasked by the Drugs Misuse and Firearms Unit (DMFU) of the Home Office to produce a summary of the outputs of the Forensic Early Warning System (FEWS) project during the financial year (FY) 2019 to 2020.
The aim of the FEWS project is to identify trends in new psychoactive substances (NPS) available in the United Kingdom. The NPS trends identified by FEWS may be used as evidence to support future drug legislation. Any new substances, which are not currently controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) 1971, are recommended for in-vitro testing (to determine whether a compound is capable of causing a psychoactive effect) in order to support the Psychoactive Substances Act (PSA) 2016. The FEWS project also instigates updates via the UK Focal Point who creates a watch list within the UK.
During FY 2019 to 2020, Dstl coordinated collections to identify NPS from UK Border Force (UKBF) and UK prisons. The findings of these collections have been collated and are summarised in this report. The control status of the drugs identified were correct at the time of collection.
The prison drug collection involved collecting data from Forensic Service Providers (FSPs) and the testing of samples collected by a third-party organisation. 1,010 samples attributable to inmates or prison visitors were collected from at least 68 different prisons in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. 1,087 non-attributable samples (found on prison premises) were analysed from 8 prisons across Surrey, Suffolk and Somerset. 28 out of the 29 NPS identified in this data set were controlled under the MDA 1971.[footnote 1] The NPS not controlled under the MDA 1971 was flualprazolam.
The most prevalent NPS in the attributable prison data was etizolam (a novel benzodiazepine) whereas 5F-MDMB-PINACA and 5F-MDMB-PICA (both synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRA)) were the most prevalent NPS compounds detected in the non-attributable data. This variation is most likely due to the prevalence of novel benzodiazepines in Scotland as the non-attributable data did not include this region of the UK. The NPS in this collection plan which are new to the FEWS collection data are EMB-FUBINACA, AMB-4en-PICA, adinazolam, MDMB-4en-PINACA and flualprazolam. Dstl will advise FSPs to report EMB-FUBINACA, AMB-4en-PICA and adinazolam to the UK Focal Point as they have not yet been reported, whereas MDMB-4en-PINACA and flualprazolam were reported for the first time in October 2019. There were only 20 different NPS detected in the non-attributable data despite the number of samples (1,087) being more than double the typical number collated for the FEWS collection data (~400). This suggests the variety of NPS in prisons is lower than at the peak in 2015 to 2016.
There was a shortfall in samples received from UKBF locations in the collection plan this year when compared to previous years. This year, only 27 samples were seized from a single UKBF location, compared to the previous year where 149 samples were seized from five UKBF locations. The samples seized by Border Force contained a novel benzodiazepine (flualprazolam), a cathinone derivative (4-chloro-N,N-dimethylcathinone), a gabapentinoid (pregabalin) and 3 SCRA (ADB-BUTINACA, 5F-MDMB-PICA and MDMB-4en-PINACA).
During FY 2019 to 2020, Dstl requested the data from all UKBF seizures that were adopted by UK police services for testing, which is why they were not analysed via FEWS. There were three FSPs that provided data for 816 seizures, of which only 13 samples were NPS (all Khat and mitragynine), the rest were commonly encountered drugs controlled by the MDA 1971 or not controlled. There were 2 seizures of methyl-3-oxo-2-phenylbutanoate which is a precursor to amphetamines.
1. Introduction
1.1 Scope
During the financial year 2019 to 2020, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) coordinated a collection to identify new psychoactive substances (NPS) in Border Force postal hubs across the UK and prisons, for the Forensic Early Warning System (FEWS) project.
1.2 New psychoactive substances
The term new psychoactive substances (NPS, sometimes referred to as a novel psychoactive substances) is used to describe substances that are produced to mimic the effects of traditional illicit drugs. These substances might not be recent innovations, but are considered new in that they are now being used recreationally as a drug or are available as a recreational drug in the UK. Other definitions of similar substances such as ‘legal highs’ are not fit for purpose as many NPS are now controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971[footnote 2] (from herein referred to as the MDA), and therefore NPS can refer to both controlled and non-controlled substances.
The term NPS in this summary encapsulates all substances that have emerged in the UK recreational drug market since 2008. The addition of a drug to the MDA after 2008 does not exclude it from being referred to as an NPS. Therefore, an NPS has been defined throughout this summary as either a compound controlled by the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016[footnote 3] (from herein referred to as the PSA) or a compound controlled by the MDA post-2008.
1.3 The Forensic Early Warning System
The aim of FEWS is to examine trends in the seizures of NPS in the UK and to identify if any new substances emerge in the recreational drug market.
FEWS provides support to the PSA by determining if substances are capable of producing a psychoactive effect. Additionally the data acquired by FEWS can be shared with the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) who may advise the government to control such substances under the MDA.
2. UK Border Force collections
2.1 Sampling
Dstl worked with UK Border Force to collect and identify NPS arriving in the UK at Border Force locations, for FEWS. NPS seizures were collected from a single postal hub during FY 2019 to 2020.
The collection targeted seizures of suspected NPS samples sent via fast parcels and post. Parcels and post are usually screened using a range of techniques including x-ray imaging, raman spectroscopy and colorimetric drug testing kits. Following an initial screening of consignments by Border Force employees, the FEWS team were notified of suspected NPS at the targeted hubs. These consignments were then sampled by Border Force or the FEWS team and submitted to forensic service providers (FSPs) within the FEWS network for analysis.
2.2 Analysis
All the samples for this collection were analysed using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 27 samples were submitted for analysis by these methods. 4 of the samples required further analysis involving nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and/or high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).
2.3 Results
There was a shortfall in samples received from UKBF locations for the FEWS collection plan this year when compared to previous years. This year, only 27 samples were seized from a single UKBF location, compared to the previous year where 149 samples were seized from 5 UKBF locations. The samples seized by Border Force contained a novel benzodiazepine (flualprazolam), a cathinone derivative (4-chloro-N,N-dimethylcathinone), a gabapentinoid (pregabalin) and 3 SCRA (ADB-BUTINACA, 5F-MDMB-PICA and MDMB-4en-PINACA).
During FY 2019 to 2020, Dstl requested the data from all UKBF seizures that were adopted by UK police services for testing which is why they were not analysed via FEWS. There were three FSPs that provided data for 816 seizures, of which only 13 samples were NPS (all Khat and mitragynine), the rest were commonly encountered drugs controlled by the MDA 1971 or not controlled. There were 2 seizures of methyl-3-oxo-2-phenylbutanoate which is a precursor to amphetamines.
2.4 Sample type and variation
Within the UKBF collection during FY 2019 to 2020, there was little variation in the samples seized. The majority (56%) of samples were seized by UKBF within a ‘silver foil bag’ that contained a quantity of powder. Within each package, there was a maximum of three different types of powder observed, but in most cases (78%), the packages all contained sub-packages of the same powder.
The data obtained from FSPs contained more variation in sample type as there were liquids, powders and tablets. However, this data largely consisted of traditional drugs and contained only 13 NPS-containing samples from a total of 816 samples.
2.5 NPS occurrences
In Table 1, all of the data combined from the NPS seized at UKBF locations and FSPs are shown. The NPS seized this financial year consist of SCRA, drugs in plant material, cathinone derivatives, a ketamine derivative, a ‘designer’ benzodiazepine and a medicine.
Table 1: New psychoactive substances detected within samples from UKBF locations
| Substance | Number of occurrences | Classification under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 |
|---|---|---|
| 2-Fluorodeschloroketamine | Class B | |
| 4-Chloro-N,N-dimethylcathinone | Class B | |
| 5F-MDMB-PICA | Class B | |
| ADB-BUTINACA | Class B | |
| Flualprazolam | Class C | |
| Khat | Class B | |
| MDMB-4en-PINACA | Class B | |
| Mitragynine | Not controlled | |
| Ostarine | Not controlled | |
| Pregabalin | Class C |
NB: The number of occurrences is the total number of times a particular substance was encountered as either a single component or as a mixture with other drug substance(s). The total occurrence of a drug or a class of drug may therefore not match the number of samples analysed as samples can contain more than one drug.
2.6 Other substances
A list of controlled and non-controlled compounds seen in both seizures at UKBF locations and from FSP data is available in Appendix A. This list is composed largely of the traditional drugs expected to be seen such as cocaine, diamorphine, steroids etc. However, 2 individual seizures of methyl-3-oxo-2-phenylbutanoate are worth noting as this compound is a precursor used to manufacture amphetamines.
2.7 Comparison to previous FEWS data
In 2018 to 2019, methyl-3-oxo-2-phenylbutanoate (also referred to as MAPA based on its alternative name methyl α-acetylphenylacetate) was found in the FEWS collection plans and so it is important to note the continued prevalence during 2019 to 2020.
Flualprazolam was not previously reported in FEWS UKBF seizures, but had previously been reported in seizures by FSPs, leading to prosecution cases.
3. Prison sample results
1,010 attributable samples were collected from at least 68 different prisons in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. Data for Wales was not available at the time. 1,205 non-attributable samples were collected from 8 prisons across Surrey, Suffolk and Somerset. Of the non-attributable samples, 118 were unable to be analysed due to unsuitability or insufficient quantity of material so this data has been removed from the sample total (leaving 1,087 non-attributable samples).
Throughout this report, the drug control status refers to the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) 1971 and was correct at the time of collection.
3.1 Sample variation
155 different compounds were identified in this data set of which 29 (19%) were NPS and 65 (42%) were controlled under the MDA 1971 at the time of seizure. Over 67% of the samples submitted contained only one compound (Table 1). 27% of the non-attributable samples consisted of impregnated papers and the analysis method used was more sensitive than the techniques used for the rest of the samples. This may explain why a higher number of compounds per sample is seen in the non-attributable data. The maximum number of compounds detected in one sample was 16, whereas the largest number of compounds identified in an attributable sample was four. No substance was detected in 13% of the attributable samples and 9% of the non-attributable samples submitted, respectively.
Table 2: Comparison of the number of compounds detected per sample for attributable and non-attributable prison samples
| Number of compounds per sample | Percentage of samples submitted (%) - attributable | Percentage of samples submitted (%) - non-attributable |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 91 | 67 |
| 2 | 7 | 12 |
| 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 4 | <1 | 5 |
| 5 | 0 | 4 |
| 6+ | 0 | 5 |
3.2 Sample type
A variety of sample types form the non-attributable data collection (Figure 1) and the majority of samples were herbal material (31%) or paper/card (27%). Similar sample types (e.g., herbal, paper, tablet, powder, resin, liquid) were submitted for the attributable sample data but a large proportion of these sample types are unknown so the data for variety of sample type has not been included.
Of the 327 paper and card non-attributable samples, 283 (87%) samples were impregnated with at least one drug substance. Of the 375 herbal non-attributable samples, 362 (97%) contained at least one compound. Of the 199 tablet or capsule samples, 183 (92%) contained at least one compound. For the powder samples, 132 (86%) contained at least one compound. Of the 17 resin samples, only one was negative and of the 12 liquid samples, 3 were negative. Three samples were vape pens but they all tested negative. Figure 1 shows the number of compounds detected per sample based on sample type. It can be seen that paper and card samples contained the widest range of compounds detected per sample.
Figure 1: The percentage of non-attributable sample types submitted including the number of compounds detected per sample.
3.3 NPS occurrences
A total of 29 NPS identified in the prison data set were controlled under the MDA 1971 (detailed in Appendix B). The NPS not controlled under the MDA 1971 at the time of collection was flualprazolam. Flualprazolam has been subjected to in-vitro testing in 2019 and has been proven to be psychoactive under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016. 240 NPS-containing samples were identified from the 1,010 attributable samples submitted (24%) and 341 NPS-containing samples were identified from the 1,087 non-attributable samples (31%). This shows that the proportion of NPS is lower than other drugs.
In the non-attributable samples, the NPS were found in the form of 253 impregnated paper/card samples, 61 herbal samples, 17 tablets/capsule samples and 11 powder samples. In the attributable NPS samples there were the same range of NPS sample types but with a different distribution; 91 tablet samples, 14 paper/card, 6 herbal and 4 powder. However, 59 sample types were not known so it is not possible to directly compare the 2 data sets.
20 different NPS were detected in both attributable and non-attributable data sets, although the NPS types varied and, particularly, more SCRA were present in the non-attributable data. SCRA account for 88 attributable sample occurrences (36% of NPS-containing occurrences) and 632 non-attributable sample occurrences (93% of NPS-containing occurrences). The contrast in the 2 data sets may be due to the regional origin of the samples. For example, the non-attributable samples are from the South of England whereas the attributable samples are from a broader region across the UK, and includes Scotland, where etizolam is prevalent. The most prevalent NPS in the attributable data was etizolam (73 occurrences) whereas there were only 4 occurrences of this NPS in the non-attributable data. From the 73 occurrences, 71 of these were seized from Scottish prisons and 2 were from Northern Irish prisons. 5F-MDMB-PINACA and 5F-MDMB-PICA were the most prevalent NPS compounds detected in the non-attributable data and account for 51% of the NPS occurrences.
10 (4%) samples from 240 NPS-containing attributable samples were mixtures containing more than one NPS. This low number of mixtures is largely due to the 73 etizolam occurrences which were found as a single substance. In comparison, 236 out of 341 (69%) NPS-containing non-attributable samples were mixtures. This could also be due to the increased sensitivity of the methods used for analysis of the non-attributable paper samples.
3.4 Other substances
37 different traditional drugs of abuse were detected and the most prevalent drugs were cocaine in the non-attributable sample dataset (30% of traditional drugs) and cannabis/THC in the attributable dataset (38% of traditional drugs). The remaining 88 non-controlled compounds comprised mainly of medicines, as well as tobacco and cutting agents (Appendix B).
3.5 Comparison to previous FEWS data
In summary, there were only 20 different NPS detected in the non-attributable sample data despite the number of samples (1,087) being approximately double the typical number collated from prisons for the FEWS project (~400 samples) in previous years. This suggests the variety of NPS in prisons is lower than the peak in 2015 to 2016 of 23 NPS.
The most prevalent NPS in this data set was 5F-MDMB-PICA, followed by 5F-MDMB-PINACA. 5F-MDMB-PINACA has consistently been a prevalent NPS detected through FEWS since 2015 to 2016, whereas 5F-MDMB-PICA has only been detected in prisons in FEWS since 2017 to 2018. Two prevalent NPS in 2015 to 2016 were 5F-AKB48 and 5F-PB-22 and these compounds have both only had one occurrence in this data set so are no longer in the top ten most prevalent SCRA in 2019 to 2020. MDMB-CHMCZCA was detected in 2015 to 2016 in FEWS data and was a cause for concern as it fell outside of the legislation released in December 2016; however this NPS was not detected in following years including this collection.
The most prevalent NPS in the attributable prison data was etizolam (a novel benzodiazepine) whereas 5F-MDMB-PINACA and 5F-MDMB-PICA (both SCRA) were the most prevalent NPS compounds detected in the non-attributable data. This variation is most likely due to the prevalence of novel benzodiazepines in Scotland as the non-attributable data did not include this region of the UK. The NPS in this collection plan which are new to the FEWS collection data are EMB-FUBINACA, AMB-4en-PICA, adinazolam, MDMB-4en-PINACA and flualprazolam. EMB-FUBINACA, AMB-4en-PICA, adinazolam have not yet been reported to the UK Focal Point whereas MDMB-4en-PINACA and flualprazolam were reported for the first time in October 2019. There were only 20 different NPS detected in the non-attributable data despite the number of samples (1,087) being more than double the typical number collated for the FEWS collection data (~400 samples). This suggests the variety of NPS in prisons is lower than at the peak in 2015 to 2016.
4. Conclusions
This year, FEWS has collected data on NPS from UK Border Force and UK prisons. This report summarised the work carried out during the FEWS project in the financial year of 2019 to 2020.
The prison drug collection involved collecting data from FSPs and the testing of samples collected by a third party organisation. 1,010 attributable samples were collected from at least 68 different prisons in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. 1,087 non-attributable samples were analysed from 8 prisons across Surrey, Suffolk and Somerset. 28 out of the 29 NPS identified in this data set were controlled under the MDA 1971.[footnote 4]. The NPS not controlled under the MDA 1971 at the time of writing was flualprazolam.
The most prevalent NPS in the attributable prison data was etizolam (a novel benzodiazepine) whereas 5F-MDMB-PINACA and 5F-MDMB-PICA (both synthetic cannabinoids) were the most prevalent NPS compounds detected in the non-attributable data. This variation is most likely due to the prevalence of novel benzodiazepines in Scotland as the non-attributable data did not include this region of the UK. The NPS in this collection plan which are new to the FEWS collection data are EMB-FUBINACA, AMB-4en-PICA, adinazolam, MDMB-4en-PINACA and flualprazolam. EMB-FUBINACA, AMB-4en-PICA, adinazolam have not been reported to the UK Focal Point whereas MDMB-4en-PINACA and alualprazolam were reported for the first time in October 2019. There were only 20 different NPS detected in the non-attributable data despite the number of samples (1,087) being more than double the typical number collated for the FEWS collection data (~400 samples). This suggests the variety of NPS in prisons is lower than at the peak in 2015 to 2016.
There was a shortfall in samples received from UKBF locations in the collection plan this year when compared to previous years. This year, only 28 samples were seized from a single UKBF location, compared to the previous year where 149 samples were seized from 5 UKBF locations. The samples seized by Border Force contained a novel benzodiazepine (flualprazolam), a cathinone derivative (4-chloro-N,N-dimethylcathinone), a gabapentinoid (pregabalin) and 3 synthetic cannabinoids (ADB-BUTINACA, 5F-MDMB-PICA and MDMB-4en-PINACA). The shortfall of samples has been partially attributed to the strikes and protests in Hong Kong during 2019.
This financial year, Dstl requested the data from all UKBF seizures that were sent to FSPs. These were attributable samples that were adopted by UK police services for testing which is why they were not analysed via FEWS. There were 3 FSPs that provided data for 816 seizures, of which, only 13 samples were NPS (Khat and mitragynine), while the rest were commonly encountered drugs controlled by the MDA 1971 or not controlled. There were 2 seizures of Methyl-3-oxo-2-phenylbutanoate which is a precursor to amphetamines.
List of chemical names
ADB-BUTINACA
Synonyms
ADB-BINACA
Chemical name
N-(1-Amino-3,3-dimethyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-1-butyl-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide
ADB-FUBINACA
Chemical name
N-(1-Amino-3,3-dimethyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-1-(4-fluorobenzyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide
AKB48
Synonyms
APINACA
Chemical name
N-(Adamantan-1-yl)-1-pentyl-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide
Alpha-PVP
Synonyms
Alpha-pyrrolidinovalerophenone
Chemical name
1-Phenyl-2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pentan-1-one
AMB-4en-PICA
Synonyms
MMB-022
Chemical name
Methyl (1-(pent-4-en-1-yl)-1H-indole-3-carbonyl)valinate
AMB-FUBINACA
Synonyms
FUB-AMB and MMB-FUBINACA
Chemical name
Methyl (1-(4-fluorobenzyl)-1H-indazole-3-carbonyl)-L-valinate
25B-NBOMe
Chemical name
2-(4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine
2C-B
Chemical name
2-(4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethan-1-amine
25C-NBOMe
Chemical name
2-(4-Chloro-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine
EDDP
Chemical name
2-Ethylidene-1, 5-dimethyl-3, 3-diphenylpyrrolidine
EMB-FUBINACA
Chemical name
Ethyl (1-(4-fluorobenzyl)-1H-indazole-3-carbonyl)-L-valinate
5F-AKB48
Synonyms
5F-APINACA
Chemical name
N-((3s,5s,7s)-Adamantan-1-yl)-1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide
5F-AMB-PICA
Synonyms
5F-MMB-PICA, MMB-2201
Chemical name
Methyl (1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indole-3-carbonyl)-L-valinate
4F-MDMB-BINACA
Synonyms
4F-MDMB-BUTINACA
Chemical name
Methyl 2-(1-(4-fluorobutyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido)-3,3-dimethylbutanoate
5F-MDMB-PICA
Synonyms
5F-MDMB-2201 and MDMB-2201
Chemical name
Methyl 2-[[1-(5-fluoropentyl)indole-3-carbonyl]amino]-3,3-dimethyl-butanoate
5F-MDMB-PINACA
Synonyms
5F-ADB
Chemical name
Methyl 2-[1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido]-3,3-dimethylbutanoate
5F-PB-22
Chemical name
Quinolin-8-yl 1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indole-3-8-carboxylate
MDMA
Chemical name
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
MDMB-4en-PINACA
Chemical name
Methyl 3,3-dimethyl-2-(1-(pent-4-en-1-yl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido)butanoate
MDMB-CHMCZCA
Chemical name
Methyl-2-(1-(cyclohexylmethyl)-9H-carbazol-3-ylcarbonylamino)-3,3-dimethylbutanoate
MDMB-CHMICA
Synonyms
MMB-CHMINACA
Chemical name
Methyl-2-(1-(cyclohexylmethyl)-1H-indole-3-carboxamido)-3,3-dimethylbutanoate
STS-135
Synonyms
5F-APICA
Chemical name
N-(1-Adamantyl)-1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indole-3-carboxamide
THC
Chemical name
Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol
List of abbreviations
DMFU
Drugs Misuse and Firearms Unit
Dstl
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
FEWS
Forensic Early Warning System
FSP
Forensic service provider
FTIR
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
GC-MS
Gas chromatography mass spectrometry
LC-MS
Liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry
MDA
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
NMR
Nuclear magnetic spectroscopy
NPS
New psychoactive substance
UK
United Kingdom
UKBF
United Kingdom Border Force
Appendix A: UK Border Force collection plan results
Table 3: A list of all controlled drugs (under the MDA 1971) and non-controlled substances detected within the UKBF and FSP data combined
Traditional drugs
| Substance | Number of occurrences | Classification under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 |
|---|---|---|
| Cocaine | 340 | Class A |
| Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)/Cannabis/Cannabis resin | 204 | Class B |
| Methylenedioxymethylamphetamine | 66 | Class A |
| Diamorphine | 60 | Class A |
| Ketamine | 23 | Class B |
| Opium | 6 | Class A |
| Amphetamine | 5 | Class B |
| Cannabinol | 4 | Class B |
| Methylamphetamine | 3 | Class A |
| 4-Androstene-3,17-dione | 2 | Class C |
| Codeine | 2 | Class B |
| Testosterone | 2 | Class C |
| Cathine | 1 | Class C |
| Cathinone | 1 | Class C |
| Drostanolone ethanoate | 1 | Class C |
| 6-Monoacetylmorphine | 1 | Class A |
| Stanozol | 1 | Class C |
| Tramadol | 1 | Class C |
| Trenbolone acetate | 1 | Class C |
| Sub-total | 724 | - |
Other compounds
| Substance | Number of occurrences | Classification under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 |
|---|---|---|
| Benzocaine | 10 | Not controlled |
| Caffeine | 7 | Not controlled |
| Cannabidiol | 5 | Not controlled |
| No drug detected | 4 | N/A |
| Paracetamol | 4 | Not controlled |
| Methyl-3-oxo-2-phenylbutanoate | 2 | Not controlled |
| Unspecified inorganic compounds | 2 | Not controlled |
| Calcium oxide | 1 | Not controlled |
| Niacinamide | 1 | Not controlled |
| Nicotine | 1 | Not controlled |
| Procaine | 1 | Not controlled |
| Sub-total | 38 | - |
Appendix B: Prison collection plan results
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) collects samples of new psychoactive substances (NPS) through the Forensic Early Warning System (FEWS) project, funded by the Home Office Drugs Misuse Unit.
The prison drug collection involved collecting data from forensic service providers (FSPs) and the testing of samples collected by a third-party organisation. 1,010 samples attributable to inmates or prison visitors were collected from at least 68 different prisons in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. 1,087 non-attributable samples (found on prison premises) were analysed from 8 prisons across Surrey, Suffolk and Somerset. Table 4 shows all of the substances identified in these 2 data sets.
Table 4: NPS detected in prison collections
New psychoactive substances
| Substance | Number of occurrences (attributable) | Number of occurrences (non-attributable) | Classification under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25B-NBOMe | 1 | 0 | Class A |
| 25C-NBOMe | 1 | 0 | Class A |
| 2-Fluorodeschloroketamine | 2 | 0 | Class B |
| 4F-MDMB-BINACA | 25 | 87 | Class B |
| 5F-AKB48 | 0 | 1 | Class B |
| 5F-AMB-PICA (MMB-2201) | 0 | 27 | Class B |
| 5F-MDMB-PICA | 31 | 190 | Class B |
| 5F-MDMB-PINACA | 18 | 156 | Class B |
| 5F-PB-22 | 0 | 1 | Class B |
| AB-FUBINACA | 0 | 20 | Class B |
| ADB-FUBINACA | 3 | 13 | Class B |
| Alpha-PVP | 1 | 0 | Class B |
| AMB-4en-PICA (MMB-022) | 0 | 1 | Class B |
| AMB-FUBINACA | 5 | 88 | Class B |
| APINACA (AKB48) | 0 | 2 | Class B |
| EMB-FUBINACA | 3 | 7 | Class B |
| Ethylone | 0 | 1 | Class B |
| MDMB-4en-PINACA | 3 | 0 | Class B |
| MDMB-CHMICA | 0 | 38 | Class B |
| STS-135 | 0 | 1 | Class B |
| Adinazolam | 4 | 0 | Class C |
| Clonazolam | 1 | 0 | Class C |
| Diclazepam | 1 | 0 | Class C |
| Etizolam | 73 | 4 | Class C |
| Gabapentin | 7 | 11 | Class C |
| Pregabalin | 46 | 24 | Class C |
| Tramadol | 6 | 5 | Class C |
| Zopiclone | 7 | 1 | Class C |
| Flualprazolam | 5 | 0 | Subject to PSA |
| Total | 243 | 678 | - |
Table 5: Traditional drugs detected in prison collections
Traditional drugs
| Substance | Number of occurrences (attributable) | Number of occurrences (non-attributable) | Classification under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2C-B | 0 | 1 | Class A |
| 6-Monoacetylmorphine | 1 | 12 | Class A |
| Benzoylecgonine | 0 | 9 | Class A |
| Cocaine | 64 | 218 | Class A |
| Diamorphine | 34 | 35 | Class A |
| MDMA | 20 | 45 | Class A |
| Methadone | 0 | 1 | Class A |
| Morphine | 0 | 2 | Class A |
| Oxycodone | 1 | 1 | Class A |
| Oxymorphone | 0 | 1 | Class A |
| Acetylcodeine | 0 | 2 | Class B |
| Amphetamine | 5 | 2 | Class B |
| Cannabinol (CBN) | 1 | 0 | Class B |
| Cannabis / THC / resin | 196 | 195 | Class B |
| Codeine | 1 | 3 | Class B |
| Ketamine | 7 | 103 | Class B |
| Methaqualone | 0 | 1 | Class B |
| Methylphenidate | 0 | 1 | Class B |
| Alprazolam | 10 | 1 | Class C |
| Buprenorphine | 75 | 26 | Class C |
| Chlordiazepoxide | 0 | 1 | Class C |
| Clenbuterol | 1 | 1 | Class C |
| Clonazepam | 1 | 1 | Class C |
| Diazepam | 13 | 10 | Class C |
| Dihydrocodeine | 6 | 5 | Class C |
| Drostanolone | 0 | 3 | Class C |
| Mestanolone | 8 | 2 | Class C |
| Methandienone | 23 | 5 | Class C |
| Methyltestosterone | 2 | 2 | Class C |
| Nandrolone | 1 | 0 | Class C |
| Nitrazepam | 1 | 0 | Class C |
| Oxandrolone | 6 | 8 | Class C |
| Oxymetholone | 21 | 15 | Class C |
| Stanozolol | 7 | 0 | Class C |
| Testosterone | 5 | 7 | Class C |
| Trenbolone | 1 | 5 | Class C |
| Zolpidem | 0 | 1 | Class C |
| Total | 511 | 725 | - |
Table 6: Other substances detected in prison collections
Other
| Substance | Number of occurrences (attributable) | Number of occurrences (non-attributable) | Classification under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adrenosterone | 1 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Amitriptyline | 15 | 16 | Not controlled, Suspected NPS |
| Anastrozole | 3 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Atomoxetine | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Baclofen | 1 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Benzocaine | 5 | 2 | Not controlled |
| Bisacodyl | 1 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Building material | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Caffeine | 26 | 63 | Not controlled |
| Cannabidiol (CBD) | 3 | 25 | Not controlled |
| Carbamazepine | 1 | 6 | Not controlled |
| Carbohydrate | 0 | 2 | Not controlled |
| Cetirizine | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Chavicine | 1 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Cinnarizine | 2 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Citalopram | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Clomiphene | 2 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Cotinine | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Creatine | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Desvenlafaxine | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Dextromethorphan | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| D-mannitol | 0 | 4 | Not controlled |
| Doxepin | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Duloxetine | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| EDDP | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Emulsifier anti-caking agent | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Escitalopram | 1 | 2 | Not controlled |
| Etodolac | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Etoricoxib | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Eye shadow | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Ferrous fumarate | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Fluoxetine | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Flupentixol | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Foot talc | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Furosemide | 1 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Grey crayon | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Ibuprofen | 1 | 3 | Not controlled |
| Instant coffee | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Lactose | 0 | 4 | Not controlled |
| Lamotrigine | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Letrozole | 1 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Levamisole | 4 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Levetiracetam | 3 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Lipo-drops | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Mebeverine | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Meconin | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Menthol | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Methyl 2-phenylacetoacetate | 1 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Mirtazapine | 10 | 33 | Not controlled |
| Naloxone | 11 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Naproxen | 0 | 3 | Not controlled |
| Natural dye | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| N-desmethyltramadol | 0 | 2 | Not controlled |
| Negative | 127 | 102 | Not controlled |
| Nicotine / Tobacco | 89 | 144 | Not controlled |
| Noscapine | 0 | 13 | Not controlled |
| Olanzapine | 0 | 3 | Not controlled |
| Omeprazole | 0 | 2 | Not controlled |
| Pancreatin | 0 | 8 | Not controlled |
| Papaverine | 0 | 5 | Not controlled |
| Paracetamol | 18 | 31 | Not controlled |
| Paraffin | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Paroxetine | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Phenacetin | 4 | 26 | Not controlled |
| Phosphate sodium tribasic dodecahydrate | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Piperine | 1 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Pizotifen | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Potassium diphosphate | 3 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Propranolol | 0 | 2 | Not controlled |
| Quetiapine | 12 | 40 | Not controlled |
| Ramipril | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Scopolamine | 0 | 2 | Not controlled, Suspected NPS |
| Serotonin | 1 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Sertraline | 0 | 3 | Not controlled |
| Sildenafil | 2 | 2 | Not controlled |
| Silica dioxide | 1 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Silica gel | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 1 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Sodium lauryl sulfate | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Starch | 1 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Tadalafil | 2 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Tamoxifen | 2 | 2 | Not controlled |
| Ticagrelor | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Toothpaste | 0 | 2 | Not controlled |
| Trazodone | 0 | 5 | Not controlled |
| Unknown | 5 | 1 | - |
| Venlafaxine | 0 | 1 | Not controlled |
| Vitamin B | 0 | 4 | Not controlled |
| Water | 1 | 0 | Not controlled |
| Total | 364 | 602 | - |