Psychoactive cocktail consumption on Reunion Island: a case report

Reunion Island is a French department located in the southwestern Indian Ocean, with distinct trends in drug use, drug diversion, and intoxication compared with metropolitan France (e.g. the misuse of drugs-clonazepam and trihexyphenidyl-combined with cannabis or cocaine, which is not observed in metropolitan France). The authors report a case of atypical intoxication in a 16-year-old female who consumed cannabis in conjunction with an unusual powdered mixture containing psychotropic substances. The intoxication led to confusion, hallucinations, sinus tachycardia, and hospitalization. A comprehensive high-resolution mass spectrometry and liquid-chromatography mass spectrometry analysis of her plasma, her urine and a powder found in her possession revealed the presence of the same five medicines: citalopram/escitalopram, paroxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, and trihexyphenidyl. This case underscores the intricate interactions between psychoactive substances that are never prescribed together in clinical settings, along with the issue of diverted prescription drugs like trihexyphenidyl. It also emphasizes the potential circulation and use of crushed mixtures of medication for recreational purpose. Fortunately, powder analysis provided crucial insight to understand the intoxication.