Synthetic Cannabinoids Flashcards
What class do synthetic cannabinoids belong to?
Novel psychoactive substances (NPS).
What are novel psychoactive substances?
Psychoactive substances that legally mimic the effects of traditional drugs of abuse.
Are NPSs internationally controlled?
No.
How did K2, spice emerge?
Many compounds were synthesized by pharmaceutical companies in the 1990s after the endocannabinoid system was discovered.
What is K2, spice referred to as?
‘Herbal incense’.
When did K2, spice first appear in the illicit drug scene?
2000’s.
Why do people use synthetic cannabinoids?
Originally used to circumvent laws, lack of toxicological screening tools, increased potency, marketing, cost, poor perception of risk.
How does Canadian law classify synthetic cannabinoids?
Based on structure, including analogues.
What receptors do synthetic cannabinoids act on?
CB receptors.
Are synthetic cannabinoids structurally related to THC or CBD?
No.
Are synthetic cannabinoids derived from the cannabis plant?
No.
What are the psychoactive and toxic effects of synthetic cannabinoids thought to be related to?
CB1 receptor activity.
What type of agonists are most synthetic cannabinoids at the CB1 receptor?
Full agonists, THC is partial.
Describe the chemical characteristics of synthetic cannabinoids.
Lipid soluble, non-polar, small molecules (usually 20-26 C atoms), fairly volatile.
How can packaging of synthetic cannabinoids be misleading?
Contents described as herbal but the psychoactive ingredient is synthetic. Exact compound and concentration is unknown, chemicals vary between batches so different packets can produce different effects, even if packaging looks identical.
Why is there a long time frame between illicit use and identifying psychoactive ingredients?
Listing various herbs on the label that in theory may have cannabis-like effects by themselves, complex matrices to analyze, addition of high concentrations of non-psychoactive compounds, compounds have common mass or UV spectra libraries and do not show cross-reactivity to commonly used immunoassays.
What are the desired effects of synthetic cannabinoids?
Elevated mood/euphoria, relaxation, altered perception.
What psychoactive effects are associated with synthetic cannabinoid toxicity?
Anxiety, confusion, paranoia, hallucinations, psychosis, increased aggressive behaviour.
What symptoms are associated with general toxicity?
Rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure, vomiting, seizures, excessive drowsiness.
Give examples of synthetic cannabinoid street names.
AKB-48, 2NE1, XLR-11.
Give examples of synthetic cannabinoid classifications.
Cycloexylphenols (CP), JWH, HU, AM.
What were the three first synthetic cannabinoids?
HU-210, CP-47,497, JWH-018.
What have slight modifications to parent structures resulted in?
Newer generations of synthetic cannabinoids.
Give examples of newer synthetic cannabinoids.
Indazole carboxamides, APINACA (AKB-48).
Can naloxone help reverse a synthetic cannabinoid overdose?
No.
What is important when investigating novel compounds?
Collaboration.
What types of challenges are associated with investigating novel synthetic cannabinoids?
Lab analysis, pharmacological studies.
Give examples of challenges associated with investigating novel synthetic cannabinoids.
May require low limits of detection due to small doses, many are rapidly metabolized by the body and thus have a very small window of detection, major urinary metabolites undergo numerous reactions.
How many classes of synthetic cannabinoids can be detected through immunoassay?
2.
What classes of synthetic cannabinoids and their metabolites can be detected through homogenous enzyme immunoassay?
JWH-018, JWH-073, AM-2201, UR-144, XLR11.
What type of testing is used for targeted confirmation of synthetic cannabinoids?
High performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.
What type of samples can targeted confirmation be performed on?
Blood, serum, urine.
What type of effects has AB-FUBINACA been seen to produce?
Decrease in locomotor activity, antinociception, hypothermia, catalepsy.
How are AB-FUBINACA effects mediated?
CB1 receptor-mediated.
How does the WHO define AB-FUBINACA?
A synthetic cannabinoid that likely shares a profile of centrally mediated effects with other cannabinoids, including THC-like intoxication.
What synthetic cannabinoids have been detected in custody deaths?
5F-ADB, FUB-AMB, 5F-AMB, MDMB-FUBINACA, AB-CHMINACA.
What is spice paper and what is an issue with it?
Spice sprayed onto paper so they can be easily smuggled into jail, creates dangerous hotspots.
What type of forensic cases are synthetic cannabinoids relevant to?
Drug trafficking, death investigations, impaired driving investigations, sexual assaults, homicides.
