Keeping Up With the Changing Landscape of Drugs of Abuse: What Do the Data Say?

The purpose of this article is to provide examples of local, state, and national efforts aimed at tracking a continuously changing supply of illicit substances, including opioids and stimulants. We highlight efforts that collect near-real-time data, identify types of abused substances, and rapidly disseminate critical data to where they are needed. These initiatives, presented at the 2020 COSSAP National Forum, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) include three examples of data integration efforts: a locally driven initiative in Columbus, Ohio; a state-level project in Tennessee; and a national data collection system involving the nation’s forensic crime laboratories.