This research project, performed at the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE), addressed the critical need for rapid identification and characterization of Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) to inform forensic science and public safety efforts. Building upon previous National Institute of Justice (NIJ) funding, the researchers utilized "sample-mining" and "data-mining" workflows to detect emerging drugs within authentic forensic toxicology samples, including medicolegal death investigations and driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) cases. The project was structured around six key objectives: surveillance, monitoring, metabolism characterization, confirmation, toolkit creation, and knowledge transfer. The project expanded the library database by adding 113 new drug standards between 2023 and 2024. Through extensive testing, the laboratory identified 79 different NPS in 2023 (3,601 total identifications) and 75 NPS in the first three quarters of 2024 (2,221 total identifications). The researchers characterized the primary metabolic pathways for emerging threats, including the benzodiazepine rilmazolam, the synthetic cannabinoid CHO-4’Me-5’Br-FUBOXPYRA, and the adulterant medetomidine, using in vitro human liver microsomes and authentic biological specimens. Validated quantitative confirmation methods were developed for prevalent substances such as N,N-dimethylpentylone, dipyanone, and various nitazene analogues, providing the forensic community with critical reference concentration data for fatal overdoses. The project resulted in the issuance of 37 new drug monographs, multiple public alerts (e.g., regarding ortho-methylfentanyl and medetomidine), and over 15 peer-reviewed publications. The data generated by this project directly supported the criminal justice system and public health sectors by providing timely intelligence on shifting drug markets. The findings facilitated the federal scheduling of several dangerous substances by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), including Metonitazene and 2-Methyl AP-237.
Implementation of NPS Discovery – An Early Warning System for Novel Drug Intelligence, Surveillance, Monitoring, Response, and Forecasting using Drug Materials
NCJ Number
311171
Date Published
February 2026
Length
29 pages
Abstract
Date Published: February 1, 2026