Addiction
August 12, 2021
Wayne Hall, Michael Farrell
8 citations
The history of research on the use of psychedelic drugs to treat alcohol dependence in the 1950s and 1960s suggests the need for caution in their proposed clinical use. Since 2006 there has been a revival of interest in using psychedelics to treat depression and post-traumatic stress disorders [1] and the addictions [2]. What lessons may we glean from research in the 1950s and 1960s on the use...
Addiction
March 19, 2021
Amanda Roxburgh, Bülent Şam, Pirkko Kriikku et al.
27 citations
Abstract Aims To determine trends in 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)‐related death rates across Australia, Finland, Portugal and Turkey and to analyse the toxicology and causes of death across countries. Design Analysis of MDMA‐related deaths extracted from a national coronial database in Australia (2001–19) and national forensic toxicology databases in Finland (2001–17), Portugal...
Addiction
November 16, 2018
B. Leadbeater, Megan E. Ames, A. Linden-Carmichael
Abstract Aims We tested the age‐varying associations of cannabis use (CU) frequency and disorder (CUD) with psychotic, depressive and anxiety symptoms in adolescent and adult samples. Moderating effects of early onset (≤ 15 years) and sex were tested. Design Time‐varying effect models were used to assess the significance of concurrent associations between CU and CUD and symptoms of psychosis,...
Addiction
July 1, 2014
Michael H. Baumann
49 citations
The emergence of ‘bath salts’ products containing synthetic cathinones represents a global public health threat. Synthetic cathinones have significant abuse potential, and the effects of high-dose administration can be life-threatening. More preclinical and human research is needed to understand the complex pharmacology and toxicology of these substances. During the past several years, there...
Addiction
July 26, 2012
Daniel Wagner, Benjamin Becker, Philip Koester et al.
54 citations
Abstract Aims It is still unclear if cognitive abnormalities in human 3,4‐methylenedioxymeth‐amphetamine ( MDMA ) users existed before the beginning of use or if other confounders could explain the deficits. The present study was conducted in order to assess the relationship between beginning MDMA use and subsequent cognitive performance and to overcome previous methodological shortcomings....
Addiction
July 21, 2011
Celia J. A. Morgan, H. Valerie Curran
645 citations
AIMS: Ketamine remains an important medicine in both specialist anaesthesia and aspects of pain management. At the same time, its use as a recreational drug has spread in many parts of the world during the past few years. There are now increasing concerns about the harmful physical and psychological consequences of repeated misuse of this drug. The aim of this review was to survey and integrate...
Addiction
June 3, 2011
A. C. Parrott
12 citations
Halpern et al. 1 presented some interesting findings from a study of abstinent ecstasy users in Salt Lake City, USA. Their ecstasy group reported comparatively slight use of all psychoactive drugs, both legal and illicit, and were therefore different from the typical user who often takes a range of other drugs. Their control group comprised similar-aged occasional rave attendees, who had never...
Addiction
February 14, 2011
Kate Morefield, Michael Keane, Peter Felgate et al.
83 citations
ABSTRACT Aims To improve our understanding of the pharmacology of ‘ecstasy’ in recreational environments; in particular, to describe the composition of ecstasy pills, patterns of ecstasy use and the relationship between dose of 3,4‐methylendioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and resulting plasma concentrations. Design, setting and participants A naturalistic observational study of 56 experienced...
Addiction
September 15, 2010
Anders Bergmark
3 citations
The paper by Brewer et al. [1] is based upon the assumption that there are common underlying mechanisms for depression and substance use disorders and the ambition is to provide a theoretical, clinical and neurobiological perspective that can frame the conceptualization and treatment of co-occurring depression and substance use disorders. The main starting point for this task is the meditation...
Addiction
August 1, 2010
Udo Benzenhöfer, Torsten Passie
69 citations
ABSTRACTAims Alexander T. Shulgin is widely thought of as the ‘father’ of +/−3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). This paper re‐assesses his role in the modern history of this drug.Methods We analysed systematically Shulgin's original publications on MDMA, his publications on the history of MDMA and his laboratory notebook.Results According to Shulgin's book PIHKAL (1991), he synthesized...
Addiction
August 4, 2009
Linda B. Cottler, Kit Sang Leung, Arbi Ben Abdallah
56 citations
ABSTRACT Aims This study evaluated the prevalence and reliability of DSM‐IV adopted criteria for 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) abuse and dependence with a purpose to determine whether it is best conceptualized within the category of hallucinogens, amphetamines or its own category. Design Test–re‐test study. Participants MDMA users (life‐time use >5 times) were recruited in St Louis,...
Addiction
July 14, 2009
Caleb J. Banta‐green, Jennifer A. Field, Aurea C. Chiaia‐hernández et al.
161 citations
ABSTRACT Aims To determine the utility of community‐wide drug testing with wastewater samples as a population measure of community drug use and to test the hypothesis that the association with urbanicity would vary for three different stimulant drugs of abuse. Design and participants Single‐day samples were obtained from a convenience sample of 96 municipalities representing 65% of the...
Addiction
October 16, 2008
Peter Miller, Molly Jarvis, Louisa Strain
A law banning smoking in public places and regulating tobacco products in Kenya came into force in July, ending a long legal tussle between the government and tobacco firms. The Tobacco Control Act was passed in parliament last year but given a nine-month implementation period. It provides a legal framework to control the production, manufacture, sale, advertising and use of tobacco products....
Addiction
May 22, 2007
Roberta Pacifici, Piergiorgio Zuccaro, Magı́ Farré et al.
39 citations
ABSTRACT Aims Cell‐mediated immune function and the occurrence of mild infectious diseases was investigated. Participants Polydrug consumers of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and cannabis ( n = 37) compared to cannabis users only ( n = 23) and control group ( n = 34). Design A longitudinal prospective study with three cross‐sectional evaluations at time 0 and at 6 months and 1 year...
Addiction
December 20, 2006
Robert S. Gable
240 citations
ABSTRACT Aim To extend previous reviews by assessing the acute systemic toxicity and psychological hazards of a dimethyltryptamine and β‐carboline brew (ayahuasca/hoasca) used in religious ceremonies. Method A systematic literature search, supplemented by interviews with ceremony participants. Results No laboratory animal models were located that tested the acute toxicity or the abuse potential...
Addiction
October 10, 2006
Toshihiko Matsumoto, Takayuki Okada
29 citations
'Foxy' is a widely used street name for a hallucinogenic drug containing the tryptamine derivative 5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine (5-MeO-DIPT). The US Drug Enforcement Administration classified 5-MeO-DIPT as a Schedule I substance in 2004 [1]; the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has also restricted this substance since April 2005, according to the Narcotics and...
Addiction
August 8, 2006
J. G. Ramaekers, K. P. C. Kuypers, N. Samyn
90 citations
ABSTRACT Background 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is currently one of the most popular drugs of abuse in Europe. Its increasing use over the last decade has led to concern regarding possible adverse effects on driving. The aims of the present study were to investigate the acute effects of MDMA on actual driving performance during the intoxication and withdrawal phase. Methods...
Addiction
July 8, 2006
Roland W. Freudenmann, Florian Öxler, Sabine Bernschneider‐reif
201 citations
ABSTRACT Background Little is known about the origin of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy). The most commonly repeated statement in the medical literature is that MDMA was synthesized by the German pharmaceutical company Merck in 1912 in order to develop an appetite suppressor. Aim To reconstruct the true story of the first known description of MDMA at Merck using the original...
Addiction
March 24, 2006
Chelsea A. Baylen, Harold Rosenberg
214 citations
ABSTRACT Aim Although several relatively recent reviews have summarized the neuropsychiatric effects associated with chronic ecstasy use, there is no published comprehensive review of studies on the acute subjective effects (ASEs) of MDMA/ecstasy. Design The present study reviewed the prevalence, intensity and duration of ASEs collected from 24 studies that provided frequency data on the...
Addiction
February 27, 2006
Euphrosyne Gouzoulis‐mayfrank, Jörg Daumann
189 citations
ABSTRACT Background The popular dance drug ecstasy (3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine: MDMA and some analogues) causes selective and persistent neurotoxic damage of central serotonergic neurones in laboratory animals. Serotonin plays a role in numerous functional systems in the central nervous system (CNS). Consequently, various abnormalities including psychiatric, vegetative, neuroendocrine...
Addiction
July 15, 2005
Rainer Thomasius, Kay Uwe Petersen, P. Zapletalova et al.
54 citations
ABSTRACT Background Ecstasy use has often been found to be associated with psychopathology, yet this research has so far been based largely on subjective symptom ratings. Aims To investigate whether ecstasy users suffered from long‐term psychopathological consequences. Measurements We compared the prevalence of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual version IV (DSM‐IV) mental disorders in 30 current...
Addiction
April 22, 2005
B Mirken, Mitch Earleywine
10 citations
Fergusson and colleagues assert that their results from a New Zealand cohort ‘add to the growing body of evidence that regular cannabis use may increase risks of psychosis’[1]. In fact, their study raises more questions than it answers. One obvious question is raised by their use of ten items from Symptom Checklist 90 as the only assessment tool for symptoms of psychosis. The items assessed...
Addiction
October 1, 2004
N. C. Stefanis, P. Delespaul, C. Henquet et al.
ABSTRACTAims To investigate the effect of exposure to cannabis early in adolescence on subclinical positive and negative symptoms of psychosis.Design Cross‐sectional survey in the context of an ongoing cohort study.Setting Government‐supported general population cohort study.Participants A total of 3500 representative 19‐year olds in Greece.Measurements Subjects filled in the 40‐item Community...
Addiction
September 15, 2004
Stanley Zammit, Glyn Lewis
20 citations
Evidence for an association between cannabis use and psychosis continues to accumulate. A number of population-based longitudinal studies have found that cannabis use is associated with the later development of psychotic symptoms or psychotic diagnoses [1–6]. Studies of subjects with schizophrenia show associations between cannabis use and increased levels of positive symptoms [7,8] as well as...
Addiction
September 15, 2004
David M. Fergusson
6 citations
The report by Stefanis et al. (2004) adds to the evidence linking the heavy use of cannabis with increased risks of psychosis or psychotic symptoms. The advantages of this study include: a large and representative sample; measurement of multiple dimensions of psychotic symptoms; statistical control for reverse causality mediated via distress; and adjustment for comorbid depression. The study...