Formulation and Delivery Systems of Cocaine and Methamphetamine Scent Mimics

Narcotic scent mimics, which are chemicals that emit a perceivable scent similar to that of the illicit drug but do not possess the health and addiction risks of the drug, have applications ranging from canine training in law enforcement agencies to antinarcotic public education. However, low-cost and easily accessible formulation and delivery systems for narcotic scent mimics have thus far been lacking. In this work, we assess the potential of synthetic (metal-organic framework, MOF) and natural (cotton) materials as carrier and delivery agents for pseudoscent chemicals mimicking cocaine and methamphetamine. Through liquid chromatography-based analysis, both materials demonstrate capabilities to act as inert absorbents for the scent mimics, with cotton being the more effective material. Cotton material provides a safe, durable and inexpensive medium for pseudoscent storage and release. The pseudoscent delivery systems are easy to formulate, store and distribute, thus enabling widespread use for both specialised training and public educational purposes.