Clinical Edge

Summaries of Must-Read Clinical Literature, Guidelines, and FDA Actions

New Synthetic Cannabinoids May Pose Health Risk

Am J Addictions; ePub 2017 Nov 6; Papadopoulos, et al

New synthetic cannabinoid (SC) compounds may pose a different or more severe risk than those previously identified, according to a recent study that assessed SC outbreaks from 2011–2012 and 2015, utilizing The National Poison Data System to collect reports of SC adverse effects in New York State (n= 713). Investigators found:

  • Cases from 2015 were more likely to be admitted to intensive care units and had different symptoms than those in 2011–2012.
  • 2 new SC structural classes were identified from the 2015 samples.
  • The 2015 outbreak was associated with more severe SC-related illnesses than in 2011–2012.

Citation:

Papadopoulos EA, Cummings KR, Marraffa JM, Aldous KM, Li L, Ahmad N. Reports of adverse health effects related to synthetic cannabinoid use in New York State. [Published online ahead of print November 6, 2017]. Am J Addictions. doi:10.1111/ajad.12636.