Fake xanax pill and cocaine with a high content of levamisole

Several civil society organisations in Slovenia are involved in the Early Warning System, mainly through anonymous drug testing – in Ljubljana: DrogArt and Stigma, in Kranj: Labirint, in Koper: Društvo Svit, in Nova Gorica: Šent, in Celje: JZ Socio, in Maribor: DrogArt and Zdrava pot, in Ptuj: ArsVitae. The new DPNSEE member organisation Alliance of Non Governmental Organisations for Drugs and Addictions from Slovenia sent us an information about drugs. We shall keep publishing these information. South East Europe is very connected region. We invite other our member organisations to share such information because they can be of use for others.

Within the framework of the Early Warning System on new psychoactive substances (NPS) in Slovenia, fake xanax pills and cocaine with high levamisol content were detected in Ljubljana and Maribor.

The results of the analysis, made in the National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food, showed that the white rectangular tablet with a xanax sign (the one discovered in Maribor is shown at the photo) contains a substance called etizolam instead of alprazolam, while the one found in Maribor contains prometazin and ciproheptadin, medicines used for curing respiratory diseases.

Etizolam belongs to the group of benzodiazepines and is used as an anti-insomnia and anxiety agent. Etisolam causes euphoria, relaxation, carelessness, and side effects are drowsiness, weakness and fatigue, poorer thinking ability and judgment, and loss of control of the body. Especially dangerous is the use of etizolam with other drugs that act depressive on the central nervous system, such as, for example, alcohol, opiates and GHB/GBL. When mixing with other drugs, the effects of the drug are exacerbated and the user can lose consciousness very quickly and stop breathing.

This is the second known case of a false xanax pill – for the first time it detected in October this year.

A sample of cocaine, collected in Ljubljana, contained 22% of levamisole, which is higher than commonly used in cocaine.

Levamisol is a veterinary drug used to treat parasitic infections. For humans, however, it can cause a decrease in the number of white blood cells and a bruising of the immune system, causing an individual to be at greater risk of developing dangerous infections.

Both fake xanax and cocaine pills were purchased in November in Ljubljana from re-sellers. According to users, both substances are to be sold to a wider circle of people.

Both samples were collected the info point of the Association DrogArt in Ljubljana and Maribor, through the anonymous drug testing programme. Due to the likelihood that such samples will occur in other places throughout Slovenia, caution of users is recommended and use the anonymous testing service.

As the Xanax tablets are purchased on Dark net, this information may be of use to drug users and stakeholders in drug policy throughout the region.

Several civil society organisations in Slovenia are involved in the Early Warning System, mainly through anonymous drug testing – in Ljubljana: DrogArt and Stigma, in Kranj: Labirint, in Koper: Društvo Svit, in Nova Gorica: Šent, in Celje: JZ Socio, in Maribor: DrogArt and Zdrava pot, in Ptuj: ArsVitae.

The original communication from the Early Warning System (in Slovenian) is available following this link>>>>

Drug problem and its influence on children and youth

Representatives of the Drug Policy Network South East Europe, including Nebojša Đurasović, member of the DPNSEE Board, Irena Molnar, DPNSEE Communication officer and office manager and Milutin Milošević, Executive director, met with Ms Vesna Dejanović, Project Officer Child Protection at the UNICEF Belgrade Office. The meeting was held on 11 August 2017.

The motive for the meeting was decision of the Novi Sad authorities to supply free drug tests to parents in local schools (last two classes of elementary and all secondary schools) as from the start of the new school year. DPNSEE sent a letter to the UNICEF Representative in the Republic of Serbia stating that we find this action is jeopardizing children rights and very problematic for several reasons, including:

  • Drug testing in schools is not needed and effective; even it is forbidden in some EU countries.
    Whatever the results of the test should be, confirmed drug use or parents’ mistaken assumptions, the trust between children and parents will be broken.
  • The test are already available in pharmacies. This action can only raise paranoia among parents and have unanticipated and unintended effects.
  • The tests can recognise only “traditional” psychoactive substances – and for each of them a separate test is needed. For a full evidence of drug use, a complete set of several tests is needed!
  • The tests are not functioning with the new psychoactive substances which are even more dangerous than the traditional ones. Young people will simply start using new substances, which may cause more harm than what we have today.

DPNSEE thinks that the society need to invest more into serious and comprehensive prevention, adjusted to current situation, not to repressive measures. That has to be part of a systematic approach to the problem of drug use, especially for children and young people, ranging from school based programs to community interventions.

We informed Ms Dejanović that we shall certainly make an action to oppose this proposal of the local authorities in Novi Sad, which will probably include communication with responsible national institutions (ministries of education, youth and health, Office for combating drugs, etc.).

Another topic for discussion was legislation in the area of social care, where more attention should be given to drug users, especially those who come out of medical treatment or penalty. We agreed to share information about drafts of laws, where DPNSEE shall send our proposals related to the changes of the Law on psychoactive controlled substances.

DPNSEE presented activities on treatment and care of children who use drugs and actions taken by the member organisation HOPS.