Synthetic Cannabinoids

Question 1

What class do synthetic cannabinoids belong to?

Answer 1

Novel psychoactive substances (NPS).

Question 2

What are novel psychoactive substances?

Answer 2

Psychoactive substances that legally mimic the effects of traditional drugs of abuse.

Question 3

Are NPSs internationally controlled?

Answer 3

No.

Question 4

How did K2, spice emerge?

Answer 4

Many compounds were synthesized by pharmaceutical companies in the 1990s after the endocannabinoid system was discovered.

Question 5

What is K2, spice referred to as?

Answer 5

‘Herbal incense’.

Question 6

When did K2, spice first appear in the illicit drug scene?

Answer 6

2000’s.

Question 7

Why do people use synthetic cannabinoids?

Answer 7

Originally used to circumvent laws, lack of toxicological screening tools, increased potency, marketing, cost, poor perception of risk.

Question 8

How does Canadian law classify synthetic cannabinoids?

Answer 8

Based on structure, including analogues.

Question 9

What receptors do synthetic cannabinoids act on?

Answer 9

CB receptors.

Question 10

Are synthetic cannabinoids structurally related to THC or CBD?

Answer 10

No.

Question 11

Are synthetic cannabinoids derived from the cannabis plant?

Answer 11

No.

Question 12

What are the psychoactive and toxic effects of synthetic cannabinoids thought to be related to?

Answer 12

CB1 receptor activity.

Question 13

What type of agonists are most synthetic cannabinoids at the CB1 receptor?

Answer 13

Full agonists, THC is partial.

Question 14

Describe the chemical characteristics of synthetic cannabinoids.

Answer 14

Lipid soluble, non-polar, small molecules (usually 20-26 C atoms), fairly volatile.

Question 15

How can packaging of synthetic cannabinoids be misleading?

Answer 15

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.

Question 16

Why is there a long time frame between illicit use and identifying psychoactive ingredients?

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

What are the desired effects of synthetic cannabinoids?

Answer 17

Elevated mood/euphoria, relaxation, altered perception.

Question 18

What psychoactive effects are associated with synthetic cannabinoid toxicity?

Answer 18

Anxiety, confusion, paranoia, hallucinations, psychosis, increased aggressive behaviour.

Question 19

What symptoms are associated with general toxicity?

Answer 19

Rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure, vomiting, seizures, excessive drowsiness.

Question 20

Give examples of synthetic cannabinoid street names.

Answer 20

AKB-48, 2NE1, XLR-11.

Question 21

Give examples of synthetic cannabinoid classifications.

Answer 21

Cycloexylphenols (CP), JWH, HU, AM.

Question 22

What were the three first synthetic cannabinoids?

Answer 22

HU-210, CP-47,497, JWH-018.

Question 23

What have slight modifications to parent structures resulted in?

Answer 23

Newer generations of synthetic cannabinoids.

Question 24

Give examples of newer synthetic cannabinoids.

Answer 24

Indazole carboxamides, APINACA (AKB-48).

Question 25

Can naloxone help reverse a synthetic cannabinoid overdose?

Answer 25

No.

Question 26

What is important when investigating novel compounds?

Answer 26

Collaboration.

Question 27

What types of challenges are associated with investigating novel synthetic cannabinoids?

Answer 27

Lab analysis, pharmacological studies.

Question 28

Give examples of challenges associated with investigating novel synthetic cannabinoids.

Answer 28

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.

Question 29

How many classes of synthetic cannabinoids can be detected through immunoassay?

Answer 29

2.

Question 30

What classes of synthetic cannabinoids and their metabolites can be detected through homogenous enzyme immunoassay?

Answer 30

JWH-018, JWH-073, AM-2201, UR-144, XLR11.

Question 31

What type of testing is used for targeted confirmation of synthetic cannabinoids?

Answer 31

High performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

Question 32

What type of samples can targeted confirmation be performed on?

Answer 32

Blood, serum, urine.

Question 33

What type of effects has AB-FUBINACA been seen to produce?

Answer 33

Decrease in locomotor activity, antinociception, hypothermia, catalepsy.

Question 34

How are AB-FUBINACA effects mediated?

Answer 34

CB1 receptor-mediated.

Question 35

How does the WHO define AB-FUBINACA?

Answer 35

A synthetic cannabinoid that likely shares a profile of centrally mediated effects with other cannabinoids, including THC-like intoxication.

Question 36

What synthetic cannabinoids have been detected in custody deaths?

Answer 36

5F-ADB, FUB-AMB, 5F-AMB, MDMB-FUBINACA, AB-CHMINACA.

Question 37

What is spice paper and what is an issue with it?

Answer 37

Spice sprayed onto paper so they can be easily smuggled into jail, creates dangerous hotspots.

Question 38

What type of forensic cases are synthetic cannabinoids relevant to?

Answer 38

Drug trafficking, death investigations, impaired driving investigations, sexual assaults, homicides.