New psychoactive substances (NPSs) often emerge on the illicit drug market with limited pharmacological or toxicological data. Synthetic cathinones are the second largest NPS group, often mimicking the effects of classical stimulants such as cocaine and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Such stimulants primarily target dopamine (DAT), norepinephrine (NET) and serotonin (SERT) transporters,...
Abstract Semi‐synthetic cannabinoids (SSCs) including hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) are emerging on the drug market and sold openly as purportedly legal replacements for cannabis and Δ9‐THC. By the beginning of 2024, 24 European countries had identified HHC, often sold openly in edibles (foods/candy), vapes and low‐THC cannabis flowers and resins. The SSC market is developing rapidly, with HHC...
New psychoactive substances (NPS) appear on the recreational market on a monthly basis, with unclear toxicology, resulting in an increasing number of fatalities. Identification of drug targets and potencies is crucial for understanding and treating intoxications and for scheduling processes. In this study 60 NPS and metabolites belonging to opioids, cannabinoids and serotonergic hallucinogens...
3-methoxyphencyclidine (3-MeO-PCP) appeared on the illicit drug market in 2011 and is an analogue of phencyclidine, which exhibits anesthetic, analgesic and hallucinogenic properties. In this paper, we report data from a non-fatal intoxication and seven deaths involving 3-MeO-PCP in Sweden during the period March 2014 until June 2016. The non-fatal intoxication case, a 19-year-old male with...
This paper reports an unintentional death involving the administration of methoxetamine [2-(3-methoxyphenyl)-2-(ethylamino)-cyclohexanone] and offers some reference values from living drug abusers. Methoxetamine is a new recreational drug with a similar structure to ketamine. The deceased was a 26-year-old male with a history of drug abuse; he was found lying on the floor in his apartment....