How the Internet Became the ‘Cookbook’ of the Drug Trade
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A University of Colorado student's overdose death led investigators to the frontier of ultra-potent synthetic drugs, highlighting the intimate relationship between science and the creators of lethal drugs. The case revealed a pipeline where legitimate scientific research is copied and modified by illicit chemists to produce novel psychoactive substances.
A University of Colorado student, Kai Raydon, died from an overdose of a synthetic drug purchased on the dark web. The drug was not identified until after his death, highlighting the challenge of tracking novel psychoactive substances. These substances often originate from legitimate medical research, which is then modified by illicit chemists. In recent years, hundreds of ultra-potent drugs have emerged, with the United Nations listing 1,446 new psychoactive substances. The investigation into Raydon's death led to a deeper understanding of the science-to-street pipeline. This pipeline has come to dominate the illicit drug market, with most illegal drugs now made in unregulated labs worldwide.
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