Synthetic Drugs

Synthetic Drugs in the United States

Overview and History
Synthetic cannabinoids, commonly known as “synthetic marijuana,” “K2,” or “Spice”, are often sold in legal retail outlets as “herbal incense” or “potpourri”, and synthetic cathinones are often sold as “bath salts” or “jewelry cleaner”. They are labeled “not for human consumption” to mask their intended purpose and avoid Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory oversight of the manufacturing process.

Synthetic cannabinoids are man-made chemicals that are applied (often sprayed) onto plant material and marketed as a “legal” high. Users claim that synthetic cannabinoids mimic Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive active ingredient in marijuana.

Use of synthetic cannabinoids is alarmingly high, especially among young people. According to the 2012 Monitoring the Future survey of youth drug-use trends, one in nine 12th graders in America reported using synthetic cannabinoids in the past year. This rate, unchanged from 2011, puts synthetic cannabinoids as the second most frequently used illegal drug among high school seniors after marijuana (see chart).

Synthetic cathinones are man-made chemicals related to amphetamines. Synthetic cathinone products often consist of methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), mephedrone, and methylone.

The Administration has been working with Federal, Congressional, state, local, and non-governmental partners to put policies and legislation in place to combat this threat, and to educate people about the tremendous health risk posed by these substances.

Emerging Threat

Synthetic cannabinoids laced on plant material were first reported in the U.S. in December 2008, when a shipment of “Spice” was seized and analyzed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Dayton, Ohio.

There is an increasingly expanding array of synthetic drugs available. 51 new synthetic cannabinoids were identified in 2012, compared to just two in 2009. Furthermore, 31 new synthetic cathinones were identified in 2012, compared to only four in 2009. In addition, 76 other synthetic compounds were identified in 2012, bringing the total number of new synthetic substances identified in 2012 to 158.

Risk to the Public Health

The contents and effects of synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones are unpredictable due to a constantly changing variety of chemicals used in manufacturing processes devoid of quality controls and government regulatory oversight.

Health warnings have been issued by numerous public health authorities and poison control centers describing the adverse health effects associated with the use of synthetic drugs.

The effects of synthetic cannabinoids include severe agitation and anxiety, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia (fast, racing heartbeat), elevated blood pressure, tremors and seizures, hallucinations, dilated pupils, and suicidal and other harmful thoughts and/or actions.

Similar to the adverse effects of cocaine, LSD, and methamphetamine, synthetic cathinone use is associated with increased heart rate and blood pressure, chest pain, extreme paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, and violent behavior, which causes users to harm themselves or others.

Sources and Continuing Availability

According to CBP, many synthetic cannabinoid and cathinone products originate overseas. Law enforcement personnel have also encountered the manufacture of synthetic drugs in the U.S., including in residential neighborhoods.

Synthetic drugs are often sold at small retail outlets and are readily available via the Internet. The chemical compositions of synthetic drugs are frequently altered in an attempt to avoid government bans.

Government Efforts to Ban Synthetic Drug Products

Congress has taken steps to ban many of these substances at the Federal level, and the Administration has supported such efforts.

The Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act is part of the FDA Safety and Innovation Act of 2012, signed into law by President Obama. The law permanently places 26 types of synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). It also doubled the maximum period of time that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) can administratively schedule substances under its emergency scheduling authority, from 18 to 36 months.

The Controlled Substance Analogue Enforcement Act of 1986 allows many synthetic drugs to be treated as controlled substances if they are proven to be chemically and/or pharmacologically similar to a Schedule I or Schedule II controlled substance.

In 2011, DEA exercised its emergency scheduling authority to control five types of synthetic cannabinoids, and three of the synthetic substances used to manufacture synthetic cathinones. In 2012, all but one of these substances were permanently designated as Schedule I substances under the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act, and the remaining substance was permanently placed into Schedule I by DEA regulation.

On April 12, 2013, DEA used its emergency scheduling authority to schedule three more types of synthetic cannabinoids, temporarily designating them as Schedule I substances.

At least 43 states have taken action to control one or more synthetic cannabinoids. Prior to 2010, synthetic cannabinoids were not controlled by any State or at the Federal level. In addition, at least 44 states have taken action to control one or more synthetic cathinones.

MDMA/Ecstasy Use is Increasing in the United States

3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) is a synthetic drug that alters mood and perception (awareness of surrounding objects and conditions). It is chemically similar to both stimulants and hallucinogens, producing feelings of increased energy, pleasure, emotional warmth, and distorted sensory and time perception.

Although perhaps thought by many as a problem associated with the “rave scene” from about a decade ago, the use of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, also known as Ecstasy) is again on the increase in the United States, and the consequences are troubling.  According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, past-month use of MDMA/Ecstasy increased by 37 percent between 2008 and 2009.  In addition, new data released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) indicates that Ecstasy-related emergency room visits rose from 10,220 in 2004 to 17,865 visits in 2008 – a 74.8 percent increase.  Families and communities need to be aware of the threat that MDMA/Ecstasy poses to young people and take steps to prevent its use.  ONDCP actively supports these efforts through a comprehensive approach to prevention that includes support to drug-free community coalitions.

MDMA Defined

Commonly referred to as Ecstasy or XTC, MDMA is a psychoactive substance with both stimulant and mild hallucinogenic properties. MDMA is most often found in tablet form, although it is occasionally distributed as a crystalline powder. Taken orally, the health risks include severe hyperthermia, dehydration, and long term learning impairment. MDMA is manufactured in illicit laboratories located in Western Europe and Canada. During the past decade, Western Europe has diminished as a source of Ecstasy to the United States; today, Canada is the primary source of MDMA on American streets.

Past Successes and Current Challenges

In the late 1990s synthetic drugs like methamphetamine and MDMA emerged as one of the most urgent drug threats to the health and safety of Americans due to increases in use and the attendant public health consequences. MDMA produced in Europe could easily be shipped or couriered to the United States, where it became a popular “club drug.” In large part due to extensive cooperation with the Netherlands, the primary producer of MDMA, U.S. seizures of MDMA tablets from abroad declined by 80 percent between 2001 and 2004 and the rate of past-year use among young people declined by nearly 50 percent between 2002 and 2006. However, as noted above, the increase in the smuggling of MDMA into the United States from Canada has contributed to the reversal of this trend. According to the 2010 National Drug Threat Assessment, the amount of MDMA seized at or between border ports of entry on the Norhtern border increased 594 percent (from 312,389 to 2,167,238 dosage units) from 2004 to 2009. Although MDMA is a dangerous drug in and of itself, the Canadian-produced MDMA has frequently been found to include methamphetamine or other dangerous substances.  Thus, a young person who consumes a pill sold as MDMA may actually be consuming an even more potent and addictive illegal substance. Law enforcement officials from both sides of the border are focusing on countering this dangerous threat.

The Northern Border

The 5,000 mile Northern border has been exploited by drug traffickers operating in both countries. MDMA/Ecstasy, along with marijuana, are trafficked from Canada into the United States, while cocaine, bulk currency, and weapons are trafficked from the United States into Canada. Gang members, traffickers, and couriers move back and forth between both countries. The scale of synthetic drug trafficking across the United States-Canada border is a serious concern for both governments.

The United States benefits from a close, long-standing, and productive working relationship with Canadian law enforcement agencies. Canadian authorities and United States law enforcement agencies are already partnering through Integrated Border Enforcement Teams (IBETs) which identify, investigate, and interdict persons and organizations that pose a security threat or are engaged in other organized criminal activity. The Department of Homeland Security leads United States participation in the IBETs, partnering with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency. Joint initiatives such as the IBETs, along with the Border Enforcement Security Task Forces and the “Shiprider” pilot program between the RCMP and U.S. Coast Guard, will remain vital to our efforts to counter cross-border drug flows in the months and years ahead.

What the Office of National Drug Control Policy is Doing

U.S.law enforcement agencies will continue to focus on joint operations with Canadian agencies to target and disrupt MDMA production and trafficking. Canada has been working to enhance the penalties for synthetic drug production and to combat the smuggling of MDMA precursor chemicals from Asia. To ensure a coordinated and comprehensive approach to our counterdrug efforts on the Northern border, the Office of National Drug Control Policy is engaging in close consultation with the Government of Canada, as well as with Federal, state, local, and tribal partners, on the development of a National Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy.  Domestically, ONDCP and partner agencies are working to get the word out to our communities about the risks of MDMA/Ecstasy use.

Resources

Drug Enforcement Administration: http://www.justice.gov/dea/divisions/hq/2013/hq062613.shtml
National Institute on Drug Abuse: http://www.drugabuse.gov/infofacts/Spice.html
American Association of Poison Control Centers: http://www.aapcc.org/dnn/default.aspx
Congressional Research Service: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42066.pdf
National Conference of State Legislators: http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/justice/synthetic-drug-threats.aspx


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