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Effectiveness of and challenges faced by surveillance systems
Author(s) -
Dunn Matthew,
Bruno Raimondo,
Burns Lucinda,
Roxburgh Amanda
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
drug testing and analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.065
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1942-7611
pISSN - 1942-7603
DOI - 10.1002/dta.333
Subject(s) - mephedrone , strengths and weaknesses , risk analysis (engineering) , ecstasy , illicit drug , harm , computer science , computer security , data science , drug , business , internet privacy , medicine , political science , psychology , psychiatry , law , social psychology
Drug information or surveillance systems have been developed in an attempt to measure illicit drug use and predict new trends. In Australia, three systems are specifically designed to monitor drug use trends and related harm. These systems have their own strengths and weaknesses. This perspective offers a discussion of these facets. A series of case studies is used to highlight how surveillance systems can be effective in detecting and monitoring trends of use while highlighting the challenges these systems face. As indicated by the case study of ecstasy, such surveillance systems are effective and can provide unique information when a drug is detected and becomes ‘established’ in the market but the methodology of these systems is challenged when new drug classes emerge rapidly, as is illustrated by emerging psychotropic substances such as mephedrone. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.