Synthetic Cannabinoids: What Health Risks Do They Pose?
Submitted by Ally
- 23 August 2017
Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in the US and in Europe. Recently, a range of new substances that have similar effects have become available. These are known as synthetic cannabinoids (SCs). Little is known about the risks these new substances pose.
A new publication which appears in the academic journal Substance Abuse has reviewed the existing literature in this area:
Its findings are noted below:
- Inhalation through smoking is the most common method of use.
- SCs can cause minor/moderate effects similar to those of cannabis itself. These include among others: Tachycardia, nausea, somnolence, hallucinations, paranoia, xerostomia, and injected conjunctiva.
- SCs may also be linked to more serious problems atypical of cannabis intoxication, including renal injuries, aggressiveness, cerebral ischemia, and myocardial infarction.
- In at least 24 cases of deaths, SCs played some part.