The recreational use of psychotropic drugs has risen in Italy in the post-lockdown period, the Higher Health Institute's (ISS) SNAP early alert system said Thursday.
SNAP detected 33 new substances being used in the five months from May to October.
This was triple the data from the same period last year.
There were no reports during lockdown.
Among the new drugs are two new synthetic cannabinoids, Mdmb-4en-Pinaca and 4F-Mdmb-Pinaca, which have been subjected to intense monitoring in Europe because of their elevated public health risks.
They are currently being evaluated by the Expert Commitee on Drug Dependence in view of possible international controls.
The anti-poisons centre of the Fondazione Salvatore Maugeri in Pavia has also reported a growing number of drug intoxications, linked to the circulation of the new substances in Italy.
From March to today there have been 16 cases of intoxication, compared to four in the same period last year.
SNAP has found 16 cases of acute intoxication or death since 2016.
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