Herbal blends A new drug every week

04/07/2012

Almost every week comes a new one „legal drug“ on the market. These are mostly herbal blends or bath salts containing synthetic cannabinoids to intoxicate buyers. The health consequences are often unpredictable, because the laboratories of the health authorities hardly yet comply with the substances to investigate. There are numerous case reports in which consumers partly suffered considerable physical harm from consuming it. This is reported by the Federal Center for Health Education (BzgA) and refers to initial results of the European Drug Monitoring Center EMCDDA and Europol.

Rapid increase in psychoactive drugs
According to the Federal Center for Health Education (BzgA), the drug market in Europe is growing rapidly. In 2009, European authorities listed 24 new psychoactive substances that have been notified to the European Union (EU) early warning system. In 2011, there were already 49 substances that came on the market. Twenty-three of the reported products were so-called synthetic cannabinoids, which are also known by the manufacturers as „Legal highs“ be advertised.

The health authorities hardly cope with the large number of different mixtures to analyze the ingredients and modes of action of the individual herbal mixtures. The long-term health consequences are often late and in-depth studies are lacking. The products are usually called before their prohibition „herbal blends“ or „bath salts“ In most cases, it is obvious to buyers that the „Legal highs“ to the supposed „legal inebriation by inhaling“ are meant.

Although there are no clinical studies, doctors repeatedly report incidents in which primarily young people needed emergency medical treatment. In many cases, the mainly young patients suffered from veritable panic attacks, cramps and shortness of breath. In severe cases, cardiovascular events occurred and patients suffered a heart attack or respiratory arrest. According to the European Drug Observatory, even suicides have been transmitted „Legal highs“ observed.

However, because systematic studies are lacking, it can not be clearly demonstrated that synthetically produced cannobinoids „actually cause the described consequences“, as a spokesman for the Federal Agency said. Of course, this does not mean an all-clear, as Prof. dr. Elisabeth Pott emphasized: „In the so-called legal highs is usually about the amount nor about the composition of the active ingredients used something known. Anyone who smokes or otherwise consumes the contents of such 'miracle bags' incurs an incalculable health risk. Consumption of these substances is therefore strongly discouraged.“

Herbal mixtures more dangerous than cannabis
A spokesman for the Bavarian State Office of Criminal Investigation in Munich reports that the herbal mixtures, mainly on the Internet or so-called „Head Shops“ to be expelled, „far more dangerous than cannabis“. The chemical forensic scientist Marc Wende recently examined the already forbidden mixture „Lava Red“. In it, the expert found the cannabinoid „JWH-122“. Besides psychoses can also „severe circulatory collapse and unconsciousness“ caused by the consumption, also explained the leading emergency doctor at the hospital Großhadern in Munich, Dr. med. Stephan Prückner. Accordingly, consumers go in „potentially threatening situations“. A calculable risk about the dangers can not be done by the young people. Because hardly anyone knows what is actually contained in the bath salts, fragrance oils or herbal mixtures. On the website „Drugcom.de“ informed the BzgA about the effects and risks of the new drugs. (Sb)

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Image: Henning Hraban Ramm