Rapid Street Reporting: Substance use in the past 12 months: Austin, TX

What was found? In response to mentions of blue lotus for the first time from the RSR Austin, TX site visit, the Web Monitoring Team examined online interest in the drug. Blue lotus has experienced steady activity in the past three years, with activity peaking in early and late 2022. 

 
What is blue lotus? Blue lotus, also known as Nymphae caerulea, is a water lily primarily found in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The flower contains aporphine, a dopamine agonist. Blue lotus is primarily sold as tea extracts or incense. 

 
How is blue lotus being discussed? Online discussion of blue lotus primarily revolves around its use with other drugs, such as psilocybin or marijuana. Commenters also commonly discussed the drug’s availability. 

 
Drug Terms: Blue lotus, Nymphae caerulea
 

To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater

Earlier this week, NDEWS was featured in an article published by The Washington Post on novel ways to detect overdose hotspots across the country. NDEWS Principal Investigator Dr. Linda Cottler, Co-Investigator Dr. Elan Barenholtz, and PhD student Paul Morris discussed NDEWS efforts, including algorithmic monitoring of Reddit, to provide early warnings for emerging drug trends. Read the article here.
 

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