Response to Terms of Clearance

1. Description of the effectiveness of the SENTRY Program

From October 2009 to the present, the total number of SENTRY users and providers increased from 400 to over 1,000 targeted group members. The number of submissions dispersed throughout the 50 U.S. states increased from under 100 to well over400. Six (6) DrugAlert Watches were produced and posted to SENTRY. These include: Salvia Divinorum (March 2, 2010), Opium Tea (March 2, 2010), BZP/TFMPP Combination Tablets Marketed as MDMA (April 7, 2010), Mephedrone (April 27, 2010), Possible Heroin/Fentanyl Combinations - Street Name: Kill or Keel (May 13, 2010), and Use of Synthetic Cannabinoid Products by Teens and Young Adults Increasing (May 18, 2010). Several government and private organizations have reprinted one or more of these watches in their hard-copy or electronic newsletters or magazines for the use of their subscribers.

More importantly, we have established solid working partnerships with the Homeland Security Health Security Intelligence Enterprise (HSIE), the Community Epidemiology Work Group (CEWG), the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), and others.

In addition, members of the general public now have access to most SENTRY features through the National Drug Intelligence Center’s public-facing website, including a Geographic Information System (GIS) map that incorporates color-coded points that allow users to access individual submissions, and links to DrugAlert Watches, Warnings, and other correlated publications.

2. Who is using SENTRY?

Members of the general public are using SENTRY as well as members of the SENTRY user community including chemists, education providers (teachers administrators, school resource officers, school nurses), members of law enforcement, treatment providers (physicians specializing in drug abuse issues, drug and alcohol abuse therapists), medical service personnel (physicians, nurses, emergency medical technicians, coroners/medical examiners, and analysts. Other non-members also are using SENTRY publications and accessing the GIS map features.

3. How are SENTRY community members using the initiative?

In addition to reprinting SENTRY DrugAlert Watches in home organization/agency newsletters and magazines, SENTRY is used as a teaching tool and resource mechanism. In addition, as a result of member requests, we have posted/posed questions through the SENTRY ListServ facet on subjects where little or no information currently exists among law enforcement, treatment providers, or drug intelligence entities. To date, nine (9) questions have been posed covering a variety of subjects including MDPV/MDPK, Space Base, Silent Night, Larry Hoovah, Moonstone/Moonrock, Soaking Toothpicks, PCP/Dipping, Opioid Overdose Events, and Bath Salts/Plant Food. Where appropriate, a SENTRY DrugAlert Watch or other response is generated to ‘close the loop’ on these new or evolving issues.