An approach to the new psychoactive drugs phenomenon
Salud Mental April 3, 2017 Helen Dolengevich-Segal, Beatriz Rodríguez-salgado, Jorge Gómez-arnau et al. 16 citations
New psychoactive drugs (NPD) are substances that pose a public health danger but are not yet prohibited by international narcotics conventions; the concept also includes novel consumption contexts, routes, and distribution methods, especially via the Internet. Risks associated with NPD use are largely unknown to users and healthcare providers. This review integrates existing evidence on the description, epidemiology, psychopharmacology, medical complications, and psychoactive effects of the most relevant NPD: synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones, NBOMe series, indoleamines, piperazines, hallucinogenic mushrooms, synthetic opioids, plant products (khat, kratom, Salvia divinorum, ayahuasca), and dissociative anesthetics. The emergence of NPD is a rising phenomenon with important public health consequences, and medical professionals should learn about new consumption trends and potential risks.