The Legal Highs of Novel Drugs of Abuse
Journal of Drug Abuse January 1, 2016 Pierluigi Pompei 4 citations
Recreational use of synthetic drugs is rising in the US and Europe, creating challenges for healthcare and law enforcement. The nature of addiction is debated as either a lifestyle choice reflecting physiological vulnerability or a chronic brain disease with epigenetic, neurodevelopmental, and sociocultural components. New compounds, often called 'legal highs,' are easily available through head shops and the web, complicating tracking and increasing intoxication risk. This article reviews pharmaco-toxicological features of common drugs of abuse, including synthetic cannabinoids, cathinones, gabapentin, acetyl fentanyl, NBOMe, hallucinogenic mushrooms, piperazines, tryptamines, salvia, methoxetamine, kratom, and performance-enhancing drugs. Due to variable effects, suspected intoxication requires symptom-guided diagnosis and specific urine and blood analysis.