Designer Drugs: An Emerging Challenge in Substance-Induced Disorders

Designer drugs are the synthetic variants of drugs designed to mimic the mind-altering effects of a controlled substance. These substances are created in labs and distributed through many channels across the globe, notably via the internet (Vardakou, Pistos, & Spiliopoulou, 2011). Many variants have been created to mimic the effects of marijuana, amphetamines, and others (Wohlfarth & Weinmann, 2010). These substances are difficult to regulate as new analogues can be quickly created to skirt bans. Unfortunately, new generations of these substances can be more potent and have broader effect than their predecessors, increasing their potential for harm (Christophersen, 2000). Research is unable to keep up with the changes in formulations and detection methods lag behind, thus leading researchers to rely heavily on hospital data in order to draw conclusions about the spectrum of effects these substances have. Synthetic drugs have been linked to substance-induced psychiatric disorders, notably psychotic symptoms (Amsterdam, Brunt, & Brink, 2015). These substances present unique challenges to rehabilitation professionals in the realms of case management, screening, and harm reduction. More research is needed into both the physiological and psychological effects of these substances as well as in techniques for rehabilitation case managers to appropriately serve individuals who are using these substances.. Keywords: Designer drugs, substance induced disorders, screening
New legal formulations of designer drugs are emerging at a rate faster than the current pace of research. Due to the rapid proliferation of these substance and the constant reformulations, [...]