Synthetic Stimulant Market Rapidly Changing as N,N-Dimethylpentylone Replaces Eutylone in Drug Supply Typically Sold as “Ecstasy” or “Molly”

• NCJ Number: 307419
• Author(s): Alex J. Krotulski; Melissa F. Fogarty; Donna M. Papsun; Michael Lamb; Sara E. Walton; Barry K. Logan
• Date Published: 2022
• Grant Number(s): 2020-DQ-BX-0007
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Award: Real-Time Sample-Mining and Data-Mining Approaches for the Discovery of Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS)

Annotation

This public announcement seeks to notify public health and public safety, law enforcement, clinicians, medical examiners and coroners, laboratory personnel, drug treatment providers, and other related communities about new information about the emergent synthetic stimulant, N,N-dimethylpentylone.

Abstract

This brief document provides information about the emergent synthetic stimulant, N,N-dimethylpentylone, which was first identified in the U.S. toxicology samples in the third quarter of 2021. The document provides a general background about synthetic stimulants, noting that they are chemically manufactured drugs with sub-classifications based on their structural relation to amphetamine or cathinone. The announcement also provides demographic information about users, including age and sex, and geographical distribution in the U.S. The fact sheet also depicts the structure of the N,N-dimethylpentylone molecule, and provides recommendations for public health, clinicians, medical examiners and coroners, and laboratories.