BEYOND THE HIGH: CBD AND THC IN THE ERA OF DESIGNER DRUGS
D. Doroftei, C. C. Radu, C. Cosmin, H. Timur, C. H. Rebeleanu
Abstract: THC and CBD are spread worldwide and well known for their beneficial and psychoactive effects. Due to the usage restrictions, the drug market is constantly creating new psychoactive substances to avoid legal implications. The newest synthetic cannabinoid on market in Romania is HHC (hexahydrocannabinol). In this paper the known facts and effects of the natural cannabinoids compared to synthetic cannabinoids such as HHC will be reviewed.
Material and methods. Literature review and synthesis of multiple articles related to usage and effects of natural cannabinoids compared to those of designer drugs, assessing the possible risks and effects. Sites such as google scholar, pub med and Clarivate were used to gather the necessary information, as well as the Romanian Criminal Code.
Results. NPS constantly suffer modifications in order to avoid the legal implications, the most problematic being the unknown possible effects due to insufficient research and the impossibility of detection by usual drug tests;
Conclusions. The medical and psychoactive short and long-term effects of CBD and THC are well known. The constant change in chemical formulas of the NPS (new psychoactive substances) are making research and testing for these compounds difficult. HHC is sold mostly as e-cigarettes with high concentration (94-99HHC%) compared to the max 30-40%THC the natural cannabis has(raisin->40%THC). European countries laws do tend to have a legislative void when it comes to NPS due to the lack of routine tests to detect these new substances, thus as they appear for a shorter/or longer period of time they are sold legally. Keywords: NPS,HHC,THC,CBD.
. In this paper the known facts and effects of the natural cannabinoids compared to synthetic cannabinoids such as HHC will be reviewed.
<br />Material and methods. Literature review and synthesis of multiple articles related to usage and effects of natural cannabinoids compared to those of designer drugs, assessing the possible risks and effects. Sites such as google scholar, pub med and Clarivate were used to gather the necessary information, as well as the Romanian Criminal Code.
<br />Results. NPS constantly suffer modifications in order to avoid the legal implications, the most problematic being the unknown possible effects due to insufficient research and the impossibility of detection by usual drug tests;
<br />Conclusions. The medical and psychoactive short and long-term effects of CBD and THC are well known. The constant change in chemical formulas of the NPS (new psychoactive substances) are making research and testing for these compounds difficult. HHC is sold mostly as e-cigarettes with high concentration (94-99HHC%) compared to the max 30-40%THC the natural cannabis has(raisin->40%THC). European countries laws do tend to have a legislative void when it comes to NPS due to the lack of routine tests to detect these new substances, thus as they appear for a shorter/or longer period of time they are sold legally.&redirect_uri=http://rjlm.ro/index.php/arhiv/1004)