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‘Legal highs’ an inappropriate term for ‘Novel Psychoactive Drugs’ in drug prevention and scientific debate – Corrected Proof

In the past years, we have witnessed an unprecedented opening of the drug market to the rapid diffusion of novel psychoactive compounds, which, combined with the ability of the Internet to advertise and disseminate these products quickly, have raised new challenges to public health internationally (). Most of these compounds (e.g., piperazines, mephedrone) are substitutes of known stimulant drugs, such as amphetamine, cocaine, or ‘ecstasy’ (MDMA) () while others are the synthetic alternatives of cannabis (‘spice’) (). In the 2011 report, the UN International Narcotic Control Board () declared that the production and distribution of these products was ‘out of control,’ stating that Japan controlled 51 new drugs, while in Europe, the European early warning system formally warned about 57 of these substances during 2009–2010 (). recently identified over 140 synthetic cannabinoids and over 450 compounds and combinations from Psychonaut/ReDnet studies. These drugs are often labelled and marketed as ‘legal highs’, a colloquial term originated by the mass media that has rapidly entered drug prevention messages and the scientific debates.

Posted in: Journal Article Abstracts on 08/09/2012 | Link to this post on IFP |
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