In response to soaring overdose deaths linked to evolving street drugs—in particular, synthetic opioids like fentanyl—the Maryland Department of Health and law enforcement agencies faced a critical knowledge gap in understanding the real-time composition of illicit drugs. Traditionally, drug analysis relied on delayed and hazardous procedures, often taking months for results to inform public response. To counter this, officials partnered with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where chemist Ed Sisco´s team adapted direct analysis in real time (DART) mass spectrometry. This technology allowed detection of trace chemicals from simple swipes of drug packaging, enabling safe and rapid collection and analysis of drug residue without direct exposure to dangerous substances.
This innovation culminated in the launch of the Rapid Drug Analysis and Research (RaDAR) program in late 2021, fundamentally improving the speed and safety of street drug analysis. RaDAR’s process, facilitated by algorithmic advances, reduced testing turnaround to under 24 hours and enabled frontline responders, such as harm reduction volunteers and needle exchange staff, to contribute samples nationwide. Early findings were groundbreaking, such as the detection of xylazine—a veterinary sedative with severe health risks—in 80% of opioid samples tested. The ability to track not only fentanyl and its ever-changing analogues but also dozens of potential adulterants has reshaped understanding of street drug compositions in real-time, informing both harm reduction and policy responses.
With over a thousand monthly samples processed from 14 states, the RaDAR program’s real-time surveillance offers broad insights, revealing both national patterns and localized differences in drug supply composition. For example, fentanyl’s dominance varies geographically, while newly detected contaminants like BTMPS, an industrial chemical, highlight the unpredictability and dangers of the illicit market. The data also underscore the challenges of law enforcement’s reactive strategies, as restrictions on substances quickly drive shifts to new, unregulated compounds. As overdose deaths begin to decline slightly, experts cite not just changing drug usage patterns but also increased access to information and supportive services as likely contributors, illustrating the value of data-driven public health approaches alongside traditional enforcement.
