The Generational Change of Drugs of Abuse
In previous years, drug use has been confined to a relatively limited number of drugs that were mostly well known for example, cannabis, cocaine, heroin and LSD. However, across generations, the popularity of certain drugs or drug classes tends to change and periodically new drugs or formulations are consistently emerging on the market, resulting in global drugs of abuse epidemics such as the recent fentanyl outbreak.
Between 1999 and 2015, more than 560,000 people in the US died to drug overdoses. In 2015, it was reported that an estimated quarter of a billion people, or around 5 per cent of the global adult population had used drugs at least once.
Additionally, in 2016 more than 64,000 drug overdose deaths were estimated, the sharpest increase occurred among deaths related to fentanyl and fentanyl analogues (synthetic opioids) with over 20,000 overdose deaths.
According to the World Drug Report 2017, opioids, including heroin, are the most harmful drug type and cause the highest negative health impact, although, cannabis remains the world’s most widely used drug.
The number of past-year users of opiates and persons who misuse prescription opioids is estimated at about 35.1 million people of which 17.7 million are estimated to have used opiates (heroin and opium).
Randox Toxicology are the leading manufacturer in the field of drugs of abuse testing. Our pioneering Biochip Array Technology allows comprehensive drug screening to be carried out. Available across multiple matrices, our DOA II panel covers a range of common drugs of abuse including generic opioids and fentanyl.
Alongside our biochip array technology, Randox Toxicology also provide highly sensitive ELISA kits. With low specificity, our ELISA kits are available across whole blood, urine and oral fluid matrices and results provide excellent correlation with confirmatory methods. Our test menu covers a range of common drugs of abuse and metabolites.
ELISAs
For more information regarding our biochip technology or ELISA kits, contact info@randoxtoxicology.com to be put in touch with a sales member or visit www.randoxtoxicology.com