Prevalence of new psychoactive substances in Victorian fatally-injured drivers

The presence of new psychoactive substances (NPS) in Victorian drivers was determined in the blood of 253 Victorian fatally-injured drivers covering a 2-year period, from 2012 to 2013. The validated LC-MS/MS methods was used to detect 56 synthetic cannabinoids and 32 synthetic cathinones. In only two of the drivers were cathinones detected; 4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and α-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (α-PVP) in one driver and methylone in another. Synthetic cannabinoids were detected in four of the fatally-injured drivers, and comprised four different drugs: JWH-122, JWH-122-pentenyl derivative, CRA-13 and PB-22, all at quite low concentrations (less than 1 ng/mL). The prevalence of NPS was 2.4% compared with about 29% for the presence of all psychoactive drugs in this period.