What is DIMS?

How does it work?

The Drugs Information andMonitoring System is a nationalnetwork of testing facilitiesthat aims at gaining aninsight into the market ofcontrolled substances.

TactusVNN

Brijder

IrisZorg

Mondriaan

Novadic-Kentron

StichtingMainline

Jellinek

GGDAmsterdam

IndigoHaaglanden

Vincentvan Gogh

DIMS officeEmbedded in

Trimbos-instituutCommissionedby the Ministry

of Health (VWS)and local

authorities

Waarschuwingen and Red Alerts in 2016

!Regional campaign Noord-HollandA powder sold as ecstasy contains only PMMA.

!Red AlertA pill sold as ecstasy contains no MDMA,but a high doseof PMMA.

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Several times a year a test result gives rise to warn users. This could be a limited warning, in the case of a dangerous substance, dosage or situation within a specific sub-group of users or region, but this could also be a nationwide warning (called Red Alert), in case of a dangerous substance, dosage or situation at national level.

!WarningDOC in tablets sold as ecstasy.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Activities: DIMS examines the content of drugs, its associated health-related risks, and analyses trends.

Method: DIMS monitors the market in controlleddrugs by offering consumers the possibility to have their drugs tested.

Application: The data collected are being used for education, prevention and policy interventions.

Warnings: DIMS occasionally warns on a national, regional or local level, or e.g. via social media for drugs involving extra risks.

Education: The testing facilities serve a majoreducational purpose and provide information on effects and risks of drugs.

DIMS affiliatedorganizations holdweekly consultinghours.

Here, users are able to hand in drugs foranalysis, anonymouslyand discretely.

If the sample can bedetermined, thecomposition ispassed on directly.

OPEN

If not, the sample issent to thelaboratory forfurther analysis.

A week later, thedrugs have beenanalysed and theresults arecommunicated.

Sometimes the result is so disturbing, thata warning or RedAlert is issued.

!Extra dangerous drugs

Drugs Information and Monitoring System (DIMS)Annual Report 2016

Average price perecstasy pill: € 4.10

Average price per gramMDMA-powder: € 20.15

58% of the samples handed in at DIMS contain over 150 mgs of

MDMA, the strongest pill in 2016 contained 266 mgs MDMA.

Trends in price for ecstasy/MDMA. < 100 mgs 100-150 mgs > 150 mgs

0%

25%

75%

100%

50%

2012 2014 201620152013

45 46 51 58

28

29 3034

31

40

26 2515

11

32

0

5

10

20

€ 25

15

2014 2015 2016

3.90 4.00

20.0021.50

20.15

4.10

ecstasy

MDMA

Average dosage of MDMA in ecstasy-pills (in mgs).

0

80

160

120

40

2012 2014 201620152013

123 135 138156148

Ecstasy/MDMA in 2016Most of the samples handed in involve ecstasy pills

or MDMA powders, in 2016 56% of the total.

Risks•Overheating•Exhaustion•Brain damage

Cutting agents•Caffeine•Amphetamine•mCPP•PMMA

Effects•Sense of intimacy•Increased energy

!

13%cocaine

9%speed

10%4-FA

3% ketamine

3% 2C-B

2% LSD1% mephedrone

3% other substances

56%ecstasy/MDMA

After years of increase, the total amount of ecstasy samples supplied to DIMS slightly decreased in 2016.

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

2012 2014 201620152013

Samples supplied to DIMS in 2016In 2016 12,405 visitors handed in 11,215 samples for analysis. This mainlyinvolves ecstasy, cocaine,4-FA and speed.

In terms of number of submitted samples, cocaine is in second place

with a share of 13%.

Average price per gram of cocaine

50

€ 60

40

52.7050.00 48.75

2014 2015 2016

Cocaine in 2016

The average percentage of cocaine incocaine samples varies throughout the years, but increased the last years. In 2016, a cocaine powder

contained on average 67% of cocaine.

0%

10%

30%

50%

70%

60%

40%

20%

2012 2014 201620152013

61 5964 67

58

Cocaine is often cut with levamisole, an anthelmintic for animals. In 2016 it was added to 58% of the cocaine samples, a

steep decrease compared to previous years.

without levamisol with levamisol

0%

25%

75%

100%

50%

2012 2014 201620152013

samples:

3729 29

4238

6371 71

5862

Risks levamisole•With high dose and regular

use: impairment of the immune system

•Fever and flu-like symptoms,skin eruptions

•Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting•Headache, confusion,

dizziness

!

Cutting agents•Levamisole•Caffeine•Phenacetine

Risks•Often cut with medicines•Paranoia•Damage smoking: lungs injecting: abscess snorting:nasal mucosa•Dependency•Exhaustion•Cardiovascular problems

!

Effects•Increased energy•Confident feeling

Speed in 2016Nine percent of all submitted samples is speed.

Risks•Overheating•Exhaustion•Brain damage•Paranoia•Heavy physical strain

!

Average price per gram of speed

Cutting agent•Caffeine

6

€ 7

5

7.20

6.00

7.25

2014 2015 2016

The average percentage of amphetamine in speed varies from year to year. In

2016, this average was 44%.

0%

10%

30%

50%

40%

20%

2012 2014 201620152013

47 49 46 44

27

Effects•Increased energy•Delays fatigueness•Inhibits appetite

NPS in 2016

At DIMS more often New Psychoactive Substances (also called 'research

chemicals') are handed in. This mainly involves 4-FA.

0

300

600

900

1,200

1,500

2012 2014 201620152013

165

443

815

1301

142

4-FA (also known as 4-fluoroamphetamine of 4-FMP) currently forms 83% of all samples of NPS that are handed in at DIMS.

Effects of 4-FA•Increased energy•Euphoria•Talkative•Delays fatigue

Risks•Exhaustion•Nausea, vomiting•Headache, confusion,

dizziness•Palpitations

!

Trends in price for4-fluoroamphetamine.

0

5

15

€ 20

10

2014 2015 2016

15.00

powders

capsules

pills

14.00 13.80

7.258.80

5.60

4.25 4.40 4.40

4-FA is commonly handed in as apowder, but also as a pill or capsule

and seldom as fluid.(In italic, average purity or dosage,and price per pill/capsule/powder)

€ 13.80

€ 4.40

€ 5.60

4 fluids

345powders

75%

428pills

140,3 mgs

307capsules

72%

4-FA (4-fluoroamphetamine) in 2016

Of all samples that are handed in to DIMS, three percent consists of ketamine.

Average price per grampowder: € 26.30

Risks•Bad trip•Nausea, vomiting•Respiratory disorders•Muscle stiffening or paralysis

!

Ketamine in 2016

Trends in price for ketamine.

0

10

€ 30

20

2014 2015 2016

23.90 25.00 26.30

Ketamine samples often containother substances.

73%ketamine

7%lidocaine

1%methoxe-tamine

3%nothing

16%other

Effects•Mind altering•Out-of-body experience

Purity74% in 2016

LSD in 2016Two percent of the submitted samples consists of LSD. In less than a quarter of the submitted LSD samples, substances other than LSD were detected.

Average price perblotter: € 5.60

Effects•Hallucinogenic

Risks•Bad trip•Nausea•Flash backs

!

Average dosage62 µg in 2016

In 2016, in 77% of samples sold asLSD, this substance was actually

detected.

7%NBOMe

5%other 4%

nothing7%

DOC

77%LSD

Trends in price for LSD.

0

2

1

4

5

€ 6

3

2014 2015 2016

5.305.00

5.60

2C-B (4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine) is commonly handed in as a pill but sometimes as a powder as well. The effects strongly depend on

the dose taken. 97% of the pills handed in as 2C-B contained 2C-B.

Average price perpill: € 4.20

Averagedosage pills12 mgs in 2016

Risks•Bad trip•Effects stronger than

expected/overdose

!

Effects•At low dose: euphoria,

increased energy•At high dose: hallucinogenic

2C-B in 2016

Trends in price for 2C-B-pills.

0

2

1

4

€ 5

3

2014 2015 2016

3.90 4.004.20

Product number: INF024Text: Daan van der Gouwe and Sander RigterDesign: Rikkers Infographics

© 2017, Trimbos-instituut, Utrecht

All rights reserved. No part of this publicationmay be reproduced and / or published in anyform or by any means without prior permissionfrom the Trimbos Institute.

More information:www.drugs-test.nl

dims@trimbos.nl

A publication of DIMS

The Drugs Information andMonitoring System is a nationalnetwork of testing facilitiesthat aims at gaining aninsight into the market ofcontrolled substances.

TactusVNN

Brijder

IrisZorg

Mondriaan

Novadic-Kentron

StichtingMainline

Jellinek

GGDAmsterdam

IndigoHaaglanden

Vincentvan Gogh

DIMS officeEmbedded in

Trimbos-instituutCommissionedby the Ministry

of Health (VWS)and local

authorities