Using Internet Snapshot Surveys to Enhance Our Understanding of the Availability of the Novel Psychoactive Substance Alpha-methyltryptamine (AMT)

Alpha-methyltryptamine (AMT) is a novel psychoactive substance available over the Internet. This study used European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) Internet snapshot methodology to investigate the availability and cost of AMT in March/October 2012. From March to October 2012, there was a decrease in the number of Internet sites selling AMT (44 to 31). AMT powder was cheaper in bulk (100 g) than in recreational-user (100 mg) quantities, and there was a decrease in price. Data from Internet snapshot surveys complement and allow triangulation of data from other sources to build a more detailed picture on availability and use of novel psychoactive substances.