Emerging Lethal Synthetic Drugs and Dangerous Drug Mixtures: The Wave of the Future and How We Should Respond

ISSUP Global presents a webinar exploring the growing impact of adulterants and synthetic additives in illicit drug markets, and their implications for prevention, treatment , recovery , and public health.

Date: Wednesday, 19th August 2026

Time: 3 PM London | 7 AM PST | 10 AM EST

Register for the Webinar

This webinar will provide an overview of drug adulterants in the illicit drug supply, including where adulteration occurs and common substances found across opioids, stimulants, and cannabis products. It will also describe emerging lethal drug mixtures (pink cocaine, etomidate vaping, etc). Using real-world examples such as fentanyl contamination + xylazine; meth + ketamine; synthetic opioids + cannabinoids; etc.) it will highlight how adulterants are increasing unpredictability and shaping current drug market trends.

The session will examine clinical implications, including toxicity, withdrawal, including treatment and overdose reversal challenges, short- and long-term chronic health problems (morbidity), alongside the role of monitoring systems such as early warning networks and toxicology data in identifying emerging risks. It will translate these insights into practical considerations for the workforce, emphasising coordinated responses across prevention, treatment, and public safety sectors.

A short interactive Q&A discussion will allow participants to engage with the speaker and reflect on application in their own contexts. The topic is highly relevant given the growing complexity of drug markets and the need for science-based, cross-sector responses.
 

Intended audience:

• Substance use prevention, treatment and recovery service providers
• Medical and allied health professionals and public health practitioners in general
• Law enforcement and criminal justice professionals
• Policymakers and drug policy advisors

Learning outcomes:

By the end of the webinar, participants will:

1. Understand how adulterants influence drug effects and health risks

2. Gain insight into the interpretation of emerging trends in adulterated drug markets

3. Identify opportunities to integrate adulterant data into local and national response systems

4. Identify the actual components of highly lethal drug mixtures and how they contribute to mortality (overdose) and morbidity (health problems)

5. Understand and be prepared for new, emerging drug threats that can cause further mortality, morbidity, and introduce public health crisis and overdose epidemics

6. Apply knowledge of emerging synthetics, adulterants, and lethal drug combinations to clinical decision-making and prevention strategies going forward

Presenter:

Thom Browne

Thom Browne Jr. is an internationally recognised expert in substance use prevention, treatment, recovery, criminal justice, and drug policy. He is President and CEO of Rubicon Global Enterprises and has previously held senior leadership roles at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), where he helped shape international responses to emerging drug trends and illicit markets. He has extensive expertise in drug adulterants, toxic substances in illicit drug supplies, emerging drug threats, synthetic drugs, and their implications for public health and treatment systems.

Moderator:

A/Prof. Goodman Sibeko

Scientific Advisor,

ISSUP Scientific Support Team.

References:

• Search the website: WWW.CFSRE.ORG, and go to NPS Discovery Reports (Monographs, Trend Reports, Public Alerts, Drug Checking, Clinical Reports), etc) for the latest emerging drug trends and threats

Webinars and online events delivered and hosted by the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) are provided for informational purposes only. They are educational in nature and do not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.