This week on The Tox Lab, we’re examining GHB, its use, and the harms associated with it.

We begin by exploring what GHB is and how it works, before turning to a study from Australia examining trends in use over a 10-year period and the associated increase in harms.

We then discuss a qualitative study focusing on GHB use among individuals identifying as heterosexual, exploring patterns of use, motivations, and the ways in which users perceive and navigate risk, harm, and stigma.

Join us as we examine the pharmacology, patterns of use, and lived experiences associated with GHB, and consider what these findings may mean for understanding its risks.

This is part one of a two-part series. In next week’s episode, we will turn to the forensic aspects of GHB.

Hope you enjoy!

Links to the papers we discussed:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.70308 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12954-026-01405-1

Disclaimer: All opinions are our own.

Find us on instagram: @the_tox_lab

Email us here: thetoxlab@gmail.com

This week on The Tox Lab, we’re taking a closer look at poison centre data and how it can be used to identify drug trends and support toxicovigilance efforts.

We begin by discussing a study analysing data from six European poison centres in the Netherlands, Freiburg, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. The paper examines reports involving the eleven most commonly encountered recreational drugs and highlights how patterns of drug use differ both over time and between countries.

We then turn to a study focusing on reports of novel psychoactive substances submitted to several European poison centres in 2021, exploring how these data can contribute to monitoring emerging substances and strengthening drug early warning systems.

Join us as we explore how poison centre data can provide valuable insights into drug use trends and play an important role in toxicology surveillance and public health.

Hope you enjoy!

Links to the papers we discussed:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15563650.2026.2628073

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15563650.2024.2430311

Disclaimer: All opinions are our own.

Find us on instagram: @the_tox_lab

Email us here: thetoxlab@gmail.com

This week on The Tox Lab, we’re taking a closer look at one of the world’s oldest drugs, alcohol, and some of the fatal complications associated with chronic misuse.

We discuss several cases that highlight the complex and sometimes unexpected consequences of long-term alcohol use, including hypokalaemic rhabdomyolysis, sudden unexpected death in individuals with alcohol misuse, and a fatal case of delirium tremens.

Using these cases, we explore the underlying mechanisms that may contribute to these outcomes and how chronic alcohol use can predispose individuals to severe and potentially fatal complications.

Join us as we examine the clinical features, mechanisms, and toxicological considerations surrounding the fatal consequences of chronic alcohol misuse.

Hope you enjoy!

Links to the papers we discussed:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1344622326000556?casa_token=b4hFH3pyA7oAAAAA:f55en_CZh6ea1Wf-hG98mab7NfYlMWcqEy_c7SEyio08hDyy5eTwqwFwcMS029YHfZABlCOiMhQ

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12665443/

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00258172261419305

Disclaimer: All opinions are our own.

Find us on instagram: @the_tox_lab

Email us here: thetoxlab@gmail.com