Download - EMERGING THREAT REPORT FUB-144 5 MDPT 5
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Eutylone
α-PiHP
BMDP
4Cl-N,N-Dimethylcathinone
N-Butylpentylone
MDPT
3-MMC
Ethylone
N-Ethylhexedrone
N-Ethylheptedrone
N-Ethylpentylone
4-CEC
4-Chloropentedrone
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5F-MDMB-PICA
MDMB-4en-PINACA
4F-MDMB-BUTINACA
4F-MDMB-BUTICA
FUB-144
5F-MDMB-PINACA
ADB-FUBINACA
FUB-AMB
4-CN-CUMYL-BUTINACA
5F-EMB-PICA
5F-UR-144
EMERGING THREAT REPORT Annual 2020 Drug Enforcement Administration
Special Testing and Research Laboratory
The Special Testing and Research Laboratory’s Emerging Trends Pro-
gram compiled the data for this report through a query of archived
seizure and analysis information from drug evidence analyzed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration’s laboratory system. This data is
representative of drug evidence seized and analyzed in the date rang-
es annotated. This is not a comprehensive list of all new psychoactive
substances and is not representative of all evidence analyzed by DEA.
This data is an annual snapshot of the new psychoactive substance
market in the United States.
The term new psychoactive substance (NPS) describes a recently emerged drug
that may pose a public health threat. This includes synthetic cannabinoids,
substituted cathinones, phenethylamines, opioids, tryptamines, benzodiaze-
pines, and a variety of other chemical classes. Due to the increase in seizures
over the last several years, fentanyl is also included in this report.
An identification is made when authenticated reference material is avail-
able for comparison. When reference material is not available, the drug
evidence is identified as “substance unconfirmed” or “inconclusive.” A
single unit of drug evidence may have multiple sub-units. For the purpos-
es of this document, each unit of drug evidence counts as one identifica-
tion regardless of the number of sub-units. Some seized drug evidence
contains more than one active ingredient; therefore, more than one
identification can be made for a single unit.
SUMMARY
NPS, excluding fentanyl and fentanyl-related compounds,
accounted for approximately 3% of the exhibits seized
and analyzed by the DEA laboratory system in 2020.
5F-MDMB-PICA and MDMB-4en-PINACA were the most
reported synthetic cannabinoids and eutylone was the
most reported cathinone in 2020. The most prevalent
NPS benzodiazepine in CY2020 was flualprazolam.
Fentanyl and fentanyl-related compounds represented
approximately 17% of the exhibits analyzed by the DEA
laboratory system in 2020.
Fentanyl was the most commonly reported opioid.
There were 17 substances reported for the first time in
CY2020, meaning they had not been encountered for at
least the last five years. This equates to one new sub-
stance approximately every three weeks. It should be
noted that as backlogged samples are analyzed, the date
of the first encounter may change.
There was a 54% decrease in the number of unconfirmed
substances reported in CY2020 when compared to the
CY2019 Emerging Threat Report.
A historical summary of prevalent NPS identifications
from the past five years are provided at the end of this
report.
SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS
THERE WERE 134 SYNTHETIC CANNABINOID IDENTIFICATIONS IN
CY2020. THIS REPRESENTS AN APPROXIMATELY 23% DECREASE FROM
CY2019. 5F-MDMB-PICA AND MDMB-4EN-PINACA WERE THE MOST COM-
MONLY REPORTED SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS ACCOUNTING FOR APPROX-
IMATELY 66% OF THE IDENTIFICATIONS.
CATHINONES
THERE WERE 200 CATHINONE IDENTIFICATIONS THIS REPORTING
PERIOD. THIS REPRESENTES AN APPROXIMATELY 9% INCREASE
FROM CY2019. EUTYLONE WAS THE MOST REPORTED CATHINONE,
ACCOUNTING FOR APPROXIMATELY 77% OF THE IDENTIFICATIONS.
PRB 2021-17b
* Indicates that the substance was
reported for the first time this re-
porting period
PiHP = Pyrrolidinoisohexanophenone
CEC = Chloroethcathinone
MMC = Methylmethcathinone
MDPT = Methylenedioxy-N-tert-
butylcathinone, tBuONE
BMDP = Methylenedioxy-N-
benzylcathinone
* Indicates that the substance was
reported for the first time this re-
porting period
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5-MeO-DBT
4-AcO-DMT
5-MeO-DMT
Tryptamines
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Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone
Dimethazine
Methylstenbolone
Steroids
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Fentanyl
4-ANPP
Acetylfentanyl
Carfentanil
Valeryl Fentanyl
Butyryl Fentanyl
4-FiBF
Furanyl UF-17
Isotonitazene
2-Furanylbenzyl Fentanyl
Methoxyacetylfentanyl
NPP
p-Fluorofentanyl
Brorphine
2-Furanyl Fentanyl
2-Thiofuranyl Fentanyl
3-Methylfentanyl
4'-Methyl Acetyl Fentanyl
Despropionyl p-Fluorofentanyl
N-Benzyl-p-fluoro Norfentanyl
N-Methyl Norfentanyl
Norfentanyl
U-47700
β’-Phenyl Fentanyl
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Flualprazolam
Etizolam
Clonazolam
Flubromazolam
Adinazolam
Deschloroetizolam
Desalkylflurazepam
EMERGING THREAT REPORT (continued) Annual 2020 Drug Enforcement Administration
Special Testing and Research Laboratory
OPIOIDS/ANALGESICS HALLUCINOGENS
THERE WERE 3 IDENTIFICATIONS EACH OF 25B-NBOH AND 25E-
NBOH DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD. ISOLYSERGIDE WAS IDEN-
TIFIED 2 TIMES IN CY2020. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS 1 IDENTIFI-
CATION OF 1P-LSD. 25B-NBOH AND 1P-LSD WERE IDENTIFIED FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN CY2020.
The “other” category includes substances that could not be con-
firmed, psychoactive plants, PCP related substances, benzofurans,
hallucinogens, tryptamines, and amphetamines.
Questions about this data are welcome and may be directed
to the DEA Emerging Trends Program at 703-668-3300 or
OTHER
BENZODIAZEPINES
THERE WERE 42 INSTANCES OF INCONCLUSIVE REPORTS DURING
THIS REPORTING PERIOD. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WERE 5 IDENTIFI-
CATIONS EACH OF 2F-DESCHLOROKETAMINE, 2-METHOXYMETH-
AMPHETAMINE AND MITRAGYNINE. 2-OXO-PCE WAS IDENTIFIED 3
TIMES. DESCHLOROKETAMINE AND N-(1,4-DIMETHYLPENTYL)-3,4-
DIMETHYLAMPHETAMINE WERE IDENTIFIED 2 TIMES EACH. ADDI-
TIONALLY, TFMPP AND A SUBSTANCE REPORTED AS “UNKNOWN”
WERE REPORTED 1 TIME EACH. N-(1,4-DIMETHYLPENTYL)-3,4-
DMA, DIMETHAZINE AND METHYL-STENBOLONE WERE REPORTED
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN CY2020.
THERE WERE 4862 IDENTIFICATIONS OF FENTANYL, FENTANYL-
RELATED COMPOUNDS AND OTHER NEW SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS. THIS
ACCOUNTS FOR AN APPROXIMATELY 10% DECREASE IN IDENTIFI-
CATIONS FROM 2019. FENTANYL ACCOUNTED FOR APPROXIMATELY
89% OF THE IDENTIFICATIONS. THE NEXT MOST PROMINENT
SUBSTANCE, 4-ANPP, ACCOUNTED FOR APPROXIMATELY 5% OF THE
IDENTIFICATIONS. OF THE 4323 FENTANYL IDENTIFICATIONS,
FENTANYL WAS FOUND AS THE ONLY CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IN
APPROXIMATELY 53% OF THE IDENTIFICATIONS AND WAS FOUND
WITH HEROIN IN APPROXIMATELY 31% OF THE IDENTIFICATIONS.
This completes the 2020 series of reports.
The Emerging Threat Report will be a bi-annual report
beginning in 2021. Stay tuned for the Mid-Year 2021
Emerging Threat Report!
To be added to our distribution list, please contact us
THERE WERE 295 IDENTIFICATIONS OF DESIGNER BENZODIAZE-
PINES DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD. THIS REPRESENTES AN
APPROXIMATELY 157% INCREASE FROM CY2019. FLUALPRA-
ZOLAM AND ETIZOLAM WERE THE MOST REPORTED DESIGNER
BENZODIAZEPINES ACCOUNTING FOR APPROXIMATELY 81% OF
THE IDENTIFICATIONS.
* Indicates that the substance
was reported for the first time
this reporting period
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* Indicates that the substance was
reported for the first time this re-
porting period
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EMERGING THREAT REPORT (continued) Annual 2020 Drug Enforcement Administration
Special Testing and Research Laboratory
NPS IDENTIFICATIONS OF SELECT SUBSTANCES
CY2016 TO CY2020 This data is representative of drug evidence seized and analyzed 01/01/2016 to 12/31/2020. The number of identifica-
tions for each substance may change as exhibits are analyzed from the laboratory system backlog.
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Prominent Cathinones
Prominent Benzodiazepines
Prominent Synthetic Cannabinoids
Prominent Opioids
Unconfirmed Substances/
Inconclusive Reports