New Psychoactive Substances Overview

Study Notes

NPS are unregulated drug alternatives designed to bypass existing laws.
UNODC defines NPS as substances abused, either in pure form or preparation, not controlled by the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs or the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances.
NPS pose a threat to public health.

NPS are unregulated alternatives to existing drugs.
These substances come in unregulated forms and avoid classification through existing laws.
A new UK law makes any psychoactive substance illegal.

NPS are classified based on their chemical structure.
Chemical structures include naphthyl-methyl-indenes, polycyclic hydrocarbons, phenols, amines, and alcohols.
Other chemical structures are heterocyclic amines, arylalkylamines, phenethylamines, and arylcyclohexyl amines.

NPS are categorized into Stimulants, Sedatives/Hypnotics, Others/Unspecified, Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists and Classic Hallucinogens.
Stimulants mimic amphetamines, cocaine, or ecstasy; increasing energy, physical activity, rapid thinking, and euphoria.
Sedatives/Hypnotics act similarly to benzodiazepines or GHB, resulting in euphoria, relaxation, or sleepiness.
Psychedelics/Hallucinogens replicate LSD, magic mushrooms by causing altered perceptions and hallucinations in addition to feelings of euphoria, warmth, enlightenment, and out-of-body experiences.
Synthetic cannabinoids mimic cannabis effects; relaxation, altered consciousness, disinhibition, and euphoria.

Four main categories categorize the effects of psychoactive drugs:
- Stimulants: mimic amphetamines, cocaine, or ecstasy, yielding increased energy, physical activity, rapid thinking, and euphoria (e.g., methiopropamine, mephedrone, naphyrone).
- Downers/Sedatives: similar to benzodiazepines or GHB, inducing feelings of euphoria, relaxation, or sleepiness (e.g., GBH/GBL, methoxetamine).
- Psychedelics/Hallucinogens: like LSD or magic mushrooms, causing altered perceptions, hallucinations, euphoria, warmth, enlightenment, and out-of-body experiences (e.g., NBOMe).
- Synthetic Cannabinoids: mimicking cannabis, producing relaxation, altered consciousness, disinhibition, and euphoria (e.g., APINACA, JWH-018).