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The number of novel designer drugs that is abused is constantly growing. This increase can be seen by the sharp rise of new psychoactive substances (NPS) during the last decade. More than 620 NPS have appeared on the European drug market, as reported by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) 1. These substances are characterized by a high market dynamics and are often not covered by international drug controls and make up a broad range of drugs such as synthetic cannabinoids, stimulants, opioids and benzodiazepines. These NPS are in many cases marketed as ‘legal’replacements for illicit drugs (eg ‘synthetic cannabinoids’ for cannabis products) 1.

Steroid hormones are among the most popular performance enhancing drugs abused in both elite and amateur sports2-3 and their use is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) at all times, in and out of competition4. Steroids are mainly associated with doping by elite athletes to enhance athletic performance, but since the 1980s, their use by male non-athlete weightlifters to improve appearance by building muscle mass has exceeded their use by competitive athletes5. Apart from their continued abuse in sports, steroid hormones are also found as illicitly used growth-promoting agents in meat-producing animals to increase meat production, resulting in higher earnings6. The use of such growth promoters in livestock production, however, falls under the European ban published in 1988 (EU directive 96/22/EC). Instead of providing a limitative list of forbidden hormones, the ban prohibits all substances having hormonal actions7-9.