Citation

Joshi N, Sankhla MS. Indian J. Forensic Med. Toxicol. 2022; 16(1): 89-97.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, All-India Institute of Medical Sciences. Deptartment of Forensic Medicine)

DOI

10.37506/ijfmt.v16i1.17422

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Cannabis has been the most commonly used drug throughout the world for centuries. The psychoactive properties of cannabis are largely attributed to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the active psychoactive ingredient in the cannabis plant. Lately, new psychoactive substances (NPS) have appeared that are mostly ruled by cathinone's and synthetic cannabinoids (SCs). SC's have emerged as drugs of abuse because of their ability to mimic the euphoric effects of THC. Sprayed on natural herb mixtures, they were initially sold as 'herbal incense' or 'herbal smoking blends' as substitutes for cannabis. These synthetic drugs became popular as 'legal highs' under brand names such as Spice, K2, Mojo and many others in the early 2000's. SC's stimulate the same CB1 and CB2 receptors as THC but they are linked to higher toxicity in terms of duration and severity than cannabis. This is because SC's act as direct agonist of cannabinoid receptors, whereas THC being a partial agonist. Reports suggest that SC's are associated with a range of undesired pulmonary, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal effects. Long term SC use is also linked to severe cognitive deficits. With the global rise in use of SC products, it is important to develop and validate the screening procedures and investigate the toxicological and pharmacological aspects and risk factors associated with its use and abuse.

Language: en