Fact Sheets

July 22, 2026 | Drug Paraphernalia, Fact Sheets, Fentanyl, Harm Reduction, Public Health, Public Safety, Substance Misuse

 “Drug checking” is a strategy to prevent overdoses among individuals who use illicitly obtained drugs by informing these individuals of the substances present in a sample and if those substances include an unexpected adulterant, and while drug checking programs are more common in parts of Europe and Canada, the proliferation of adulterants such as fentanyl and xylazine in the American illicit drug supply over the past decade has led to an increased interest in drug checking—and the equipment used to do it—in the United States. Drug checking equipment (DCE) includes both simple drug checking methods and more complex options. Simple DCE, such as fentanyl test strips (FTS) and other rapid drug test strips, liquid reagent tests, and thin layer chromatography kits, provide qualitative information about the presence of a particular drug/substance—or lack thereof—for which the test is designed. In June 2021, LAPPA published a fact sheet on FTS. LAPPA’s 2021 fact sheet addressed how disposable, single-use FTS work as a drug checking tool, studies investigating their efficacy, and the obstacle to large-scale FTS distribution created by state laws criminalizing the use and possession of drug paraphernalia. Now, five years later, some aspects of drug checking and FTS described in the...

July 15, 2026 | Drug Paraphernalia, Fact Sheets, Harm Reduction, Public Health, Public Safety, Sharps/Syringes, Substance Misuse

Syringe services programs (SSPs), initially limited to the exchange of hypodermic needles and syringes and often still called needle or syringe exchange programs, have been present in the United States in some form since the early 1980s. Often illegal due to drug paraphernalia laws – an issue that still exists in 2026 – only seven U.S. cities had programs by the end of 1991. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in November 2007, there were 185 SSPs in 36 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. As of June 2026, that number has increased to 587 operational SSPs in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, although only 37 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico either explicitly or implicitly authorize SSPs through statute or regulation. This fact sheet provides readers with an overview of SSPs, including the components that make up a comprehensive SSP and the obstacles encountered by programs and their participants....

May 26, 2026 | Fact Sheets, Substance Misuse

Kava is a psychoactive plant found in the South Pacific Islands, including Hawaii, that has been used by indigenous Pacific Islanders for social, ceremonial, and medical purposes for centuries with relatively low reported health risk. For those purposes, kava is typically consumed in a beverage made using the root of the plant. It is also consumed in capsules, flavored and unflavored powdered extracts, and as a liquid extract dissolved in grain alcohol. Kava contains kavalactones, which can act as a mild sedative, and the substance can also induce muscle relaxation, numbness in the mouth and throat, and provide some pain relief. As with other herbal products sold at retail stores across the United States, kava products are unregulated which can lead to a great risk of harm to those who use these products, particularly when combined with alcohol or other substances....

May 18, 2026 | Fact Sheets, Inhalants, Substance Misuse

Inhalants are substances that produce intoxicating chemical vapors that people inhale. These substances are often found in products that are legal to purchase and use and include common household items like glue, cleaning fluid, spray paint, magic markers, and cooking spray. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there are four categories of inhalants: (1) volatile solvents; (2) aerosols; (3) gases; and (4) nitrites. Inhalants produce vapors that can be inhaled, either directly from open containers or by soaking rags in the substance and then “huffing” the rags. Additionally, users spray aerosols directly into their noses or mouths or onto the user’s shirt collar, sleeve, or cuffs to sniff over a period of time. Depending on the substance, inhalants can produce effects similar to alcohol, sedatives, or the early stages of anesthesia....

April 17, 2026 | Fact Sheets, Novel Psychoactive Substances, Opioids, Substance Misuse, Synthetic Drugs

The Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association is monitoring the emergence of novel psychoactive substances appearing on the illicit drug market in the United States. The term “novel” does not denote a new, never-before-seen substance but rather a substance that is newly available in the drug market. This fact examines orphines, a class of potent synthetic opioids. Orphines are a class of synthetic opioids first developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals in the 1960s, discovered to have anesthetic properties. Drug policy experts believe that orphines are originating from clandestine laboratories in China and that their sudden rise in the illicit drug market is an attempt by clandestine chemists and international drug trafficking organizations to avoid international legal and regulatory barriers. The high potency of orphines demonstrates the need for enhanced surveillance, increased testing capabilities, and timely public health alerts. ...

March 12, 2026 | Fact Sheets, Psychedelics, Substance Misuse

Amanita muscaria is a psychoactive mushroom with a bright red cap covered in white spots or warts that is native to the temperate and boreal forests of the northern hemisphere. A. muscaria mushrooms are also called “fly agaric” mushrooms due to their traditional use as an insecticide. Though A. muscaria is a psychoactive mushroom, it is not a classic psychedelic like the mushrooms of the Psilocybe genus, which are commonly referred to as “magic mushrooms.” The renewed interest in psilocybin-containing mushrooms in the 21st century due to their potential use in treating various mental and physical health conditions has sparked consumers’ interest in other types of mushrooms, including A. muscaria, that are more legally accessible. As A. muscaria use increases, there have been public health concerns regarding unregulated sales of A. muscaria products and the lack of consumer knowledge about how A. muscaria differs from psilocybin containing mushrooms. This fact sheet addresses those issues....

December 23, 2025 | Fact Sheets, Novel Psychoactive Substances, Substance Misuse, Synthetic Drugs

The Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association is monitoring the emergence of novel psychoactive substances appearing on the illicit drug market in the United States. The term “novel” does not denote a new, never-before-seen substance but rather a substance that is newly available in the drug market. This fact sheet, an UPDATE in a series highlighting these dangerous drugs, examines tianeptine, an unapproved drug commonly sold in gas stations and on the internet as a dietary supplement and causes opioid-like withdrawals....

December 22, 2025 | Controlled Substances Act, Fact Sheets, Hemp

On November 12, 2025, President Trump signed the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2026, a funding package which in part, closed what lawmakers have referred to as the “hemp loophole” created by the 2018 Farm Bill. By narrowing the federal definition of hemp and identifying specific exclusions to the definition, the supporters of this measure believe that the change will protect public health. The hemp industry, however, is concerned that the change will destroy their operations. With the change to the federal hemp definition set to go into effect on November 12, 2026, various stakeholders are now attempting to find a common ground solution to the issue that addresses both public health concerns around hemp and hemp-derived products and the business concerns of the hemp industry....

December 22, 2025 | Controlled Substances Act, Fact Sheets, Psychedelics, Substance Misuse

Psilocybin is a chemical compound produced by more than 100 species of mushrooms, many of which belong to the genus Psilocybe, found growing around the world. Various indigenous cultures have consumed psilocybin-containing mushrooms for medical purposes and as part of spiritual ceremonies for thousands of years. In 1970, Congress enacted the Controlled Substances Act and categorized psilocybin and other psychedelic substances as Schedule I controlled substances, which effectively stopped the research into the therapeutic effects of psilocybin for several decades. Today, psilocybin remains a Schedule I controlled substance at the federal level and it is also classified as a Schedule I controlled substance in 47 states and the District of Columbia. Despite the continued challenges of researching Schedule I controlled substances, the 21st century has brought forth a renewed interest in investigating the therapeutic potential of psilocybin....

December 16, 2025 | Criminal Justice, Data Collection, Fact Sheets, Law Enforcement, Public Safety

Automatic license plate recognition systems (ALPRs) are camera systems that capture license plate data of vehicles and are available in fixed, mobile, and portable applications. ALPR systems automatically capture images or videos of all vehicles that pass the camera if the system algorithm detects what it determines to be a license plate. A computer algorithm then converts the image or video into readable-data, that includes the license plate number and any additional information that the system is set up to detect. This data can then be used by law enforcement for a variety of investigative purposes....