Newly Emerging Drugs of Abuse.
Handbook of experimental pharmacology January 1, 2020 Kenichi Tamama, Michael J Lynch
Newly emerging synthetic drugs are increasingly used recreationally, and their prevalence is likely underestimated. This review covers the epidemiology, chemistry, pharmacophysiology, clinical effects, laboratory detection, and clinical treatment for five classes: opioids (fentanyl, its analogues, and mitragynine), cannabinoids (THC analogues, alkylindoles, cyclohexylphenols, and indazole carboxamides), stimulants and hallucinogens (β-keto amphetamines, pyrrolidinophenones, and dimethoxyphenethylamines), dissociative agents (3-MeO-PCP, methoxetamine, 2-oxo-PCE), and sedative-hypnotics (gabapentin, baclofen, clonazolam, etizolam). Coordinating hospital, medical examiner, law enforcement, and laboratory services is critically important to respond to these emerging threats.