Legal highs: staying on top of the flood of novel psychoactive substances
Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology January 26, 2015 David Baumeister, Luis M. Tojo, Derek K. Tracy 158 citations
A growing number of new or novel psychoactive substances (NPS), often called 'legal highs', are being produced by modifying existing drugs to circumvent bans. In 2013 alone, 81 new substances were identified. This rapid evolution has created confusion for clinicians and the public, partly because newer compounds can be more potent. This review categorizes NPS into five groups based on parent compounds: stimulants, cannabinoids, benzodiazepines, dissociatives, and classic hallucinogens. For each class, the paper describes pharmacodynamics, effects, harmfulness, dependency risk, and potential clinical uses. Clinicians may encounter NPS through acute intoxication, substance misuse, or longer-term health effects. Current knowledge is limited, and more research is urgently needed.