{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,29]],"date-time":"2026-04-29T06:32:42Z","timestamp":1777444362253,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":23,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2018,3,30]],"date-time":"2018-03-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1522368000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Ann Clin Biochem"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2018,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Novel psychotropic substances also known as legal highs are a major concern in UK prisons, fuelling violence and putting a strain on resources for inmates requiring medical treatment for adverse effects. We provide a clinical toxicology service including routine screening for novel psychoactive substances. In 2015, we were approached by Her Majesty Prison Service search dog training team to advise on which novel psychoactive substances to target, and again in 2016 to further provide analytical support to test five letters which the dogs positively identified for novel psychotropic substances during routine searches of prison mail rooms. Here we provide the first analytical confirmation that letters sent to inmates are being used to smuggle novel psychotropic substances into UK prisons.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Novel psychotropic substances were detected on all five letters and these included the stimulants ethylphenidate, methiopropamine and methoxiphenidaine, the sedative etizolam and the third generation synthetic cannabinoids 5F-AKB-48, AB-FUBINACA, MDMB-CHMICA. Other compounds detected include the class A drug cocaine, class B drug methylphenidate and the cutting agents lignocaine, benzocaine and procaine.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Novel psychotropic substances smuggled into UK prisons is a major safety and security concern. By analytically confirming letters sent to inmates do contain novel psychotropic substances, we have produced categorical evidence to support anecdotal suggestions that novel psychotropic substances are entering UK prisons in this manner.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1177\/0004563218767462","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2018,3,30]],"date-time":"2018-03-30T08:39:28Z","timestamp":1522399168000},"page":"673-678","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":57,"title":["Analytical evidence to show letters impregnated with novel psychoactive substances are a means of getting drugs to inmates within the UK prison service"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"55","author":[{"given":"Loretta T","family":"Ford","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"SWBH NHS Trust, Birmingham, West Midlands, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jonathan D","family":"Berg","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"SWBH NHS Trust, Birmingham, West Midlands, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2018,3,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-0004563218767462","unstructured":"New Psychoactive substances review: report of the expert panel, www.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/attachment data\/file\/368583\/NPSexpertReviewPanelReport.pdf (accessed 5 April 2016)."},{"key":"bibr2-0004563218767462","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Weaver MF, Hopper JA, Gunderson EW. Designer drugs 2015: assessment and management.\n                      Addict Sci Clin Pract\n                      2015; 10: Mar 25. DOI: 10.1186\/s13722-015-0024-7.","DOI":"10.1186\/s13722-015-0024-7"},{"key":"bibr3-0004563218767462","unstructured":"Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, Learning lessons bulletin no.9, New Psychoactive Substances, www.ppo.gov.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/LLB_FII-Issue-9_NPS_Final.pdf#view=FitH (accessed 5 April 2016)."},{"key":"bibr4-0004563218767462","unstructured":"HM Inspectorate of Prisons Changing patterns of substance misuse in adult prisons and service responses December, www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk\/hmiprisons\/inspections\/changing-patterns-of-substance-misuse-in-adult-prisons-and-service-responses (2015, accessed 5 April 2016)."},{"key":"bibr5-0004563218767462","unstructured":"Response to Home Office Affairs Committee Inquiry on New Psychoactive Substances her Majesty\u2019s Chief Inspector of Prisons, www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk\/hmiprisons\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2014\/02\/HMIP-submission-to-HASC-inquiry-on-NPS.pdf (accessed 5 April 2016)."},{"key":"bibr6-0004563218767462","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/15563650.2016.1175005"},{"key":"bibr7-0004563218767462","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"114","DOI":"10.1007\/s11419-012-0136-7","volume":"30","author":"Uchiyama N","year":"2012","journal-title":"Forensic Toxicol"},{"key":"bibr8-0004563218767462","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ford LT, Berg JD. 1-adamantylamine a simple urine marker for screening for third generation adamantyl-type synthetic cannabinoids by UPLC-MS\/MS.\n                      Ann Clin Biochem\n                      2016; 53: 640\u2013646.","DOI":"10.1177\/0004563216628892"},{"key":"bibr9-0004563218767462","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ford LT, Berg JD. Analysis of legal high materials by UPLC-MS\/TOF as part of a toxicology vigilance system. What are the most popular novel psychoactive substances in the UK?\n                      Ann Clin Biochem\n                      2017; 54: 219\u2013229.","DOI":"10.1177\/0004563216651646"},{"key":"bibr10-0004563218767462","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/jat\/bkt071"},{"key":"bibr11-0004563218767462","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00228-015-1906-z"},{"key":"bibr12-0004563218767462","unstructured":"Circular 015\/2015: temporary control of 5 methylphenidate-based NPS, www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/circular-0152015-temporary-control-of-5-methylphenidate-based-nps. 8 April 2015 Home Office (accessed 5 April 2016)."},{"key":"bibr13-0004563218767462","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"620","DOI":"10.1016\/S0090-9556(24)15139-2","volume":"28","author":"Markowitz JS","year":"2000","journal-title":"Drug Metab Dispos"},{"key":"bibr14-0004563218767462","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Acute toxicity associated with analytically confirmed recreational use of methiopropamine (1-(thiophen-2-yl)-2-methylaminopropane).\n                      J Med Toxicol\n                      2014; 10: 299\u2013302.","DOI":"10.1007\/s13181-014-0399-y"},{"key":"bibr15-0004563218767462","unstructured":"ACMD\u2019s temporary class drug order report on methiopropamine, www.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/attachment_data\/file\/479996\/23_November_-_TCDO_Report_for_MPA.pdf (accessed 5 April 2016)."},{"key":"bibr16-0004563218767462","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/jat\/bkv006"},{"key":"bibr17-0004563218767462","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3109\/15563650.2015.1033630"},{"key":"bibr18-0004563218767462","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.annemergmed.2014.12.019"},{"key":"bibr19-0004563218767462","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3109\/15563650.2015.1110590"},{"key":"bibr20-0004563218767462","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11920-016-0694-1"},{"key":"bibr21-0004563218767462","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s40360-016-0045-1"},{"key":"bibr22-0004563218767462","unstructured":"Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. Cocaine powder: review of the evidence of prevalence and patterns of use, harms, and implications, www.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/attachment_data\/file\/411574\/acmd_final_report_12_03_2015.pdf (accessed 5 April 2016)."},{"key":"bibr23-0004563218767462","unstructured":"Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, www.legislation.gov.uk\/ukpga\/2016\/2\/pdfs\/ukpga_20160002_en.pdf (accessed 5 April 2016)."}],"container-title":["Annals of Clinical Biochemistry: International Journal of Laboratory Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/0004563218767462","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/0004563218767462","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/0004563218767462","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]],"date-time":"2026-04-28T12:23:31Z","timestamp":1777379011000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/0004563218767462"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2018,3,30]]},"references-count":23,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2018,11]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/0004563218767462"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0004563218767462","relation":{},"ISSN":["0004-5632","1758-1001"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0004-5632","type":"print"},{"value":"1758-1001","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2018,3,30]]}}}