“Spiceophrenia”: a systematic overview of “Spice”‐related psychopathological issues and a case report
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental July 1, 2013 Duccio Papanti, Fabrizio Schifano, Giulia Botteon et al. 191 citations
Synthetic cannabimimetics (SC), known as 'spice' drugs, are increasingly used by teenagers and young adults. A systematic review of 41 studies found that the average age of SC users was 22.97 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 3.16:1. The most commonly detected SC compounds in biological samples were JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-122, CP-47,497, and JWH-250. Evidence suggests that psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions can occur in acute or chronic SC users. Although a clear causal link cannot be established, SC appears to trigger acute psychosis in vulnerable individuals and exacerbate psychotic episodes in those with prior psychiatric history.