From JWH-018 to OXIZIDS: Structural Changes in Newly Emerged Synthetic Cannabinoids in the European Union from December 2008 to December 2021

Introduction: With new synthetic cannabinoids (SC) appearing on the European drug market every year, regional early warning systems are key to detect, monitor, and respond to the threats posed by them. The European Union Early Warning System (EU EWS) implemented by the EMCDDA started monitoring thes...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: R. Andrews, R. Jorge, R. Christie, A. Gallegos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Emerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667118223000223
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850105231991373824
author R. Andrews
R. Jorge
R. Christie
A. Gallegos
author_facet R. Andrews
R. Jorge
R. Christie
A. Gallegos
author_sort R. Andrews
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: With new synthetic cannabinoids (SC) appearing on the European drug market every year, regional early warning systems are key to detect, monitor, and respond to the threats posed by them. The European Union Early Warning System (EU EWS) implemented by the EMCDDA started monitoring these substances in 2008. Since then, various national, European, and international drug controls have been implemented aiming at tackling these compounds. As a response, new SCs have appeared in the market containing structural moieties not covered by controls in place, increasing the diversity of substances and complexity of forensic analysis. Methods: All SCs under monitoring by the EMCDDA by the end of 2021 were organised according to their 4 structural elements: core, tail, linker, and linked groups. SC structural evolution has been analyzed in tandem with European and international legislation. Results: This study describes the structural evolution of SCs that have appeared in the EU, employing an in-depth analysis of the core, linker, linked and tail groups. This data has been compiled into tree maps and histograms, and a timeline displaying key structural milestones. Conclusions: SCs in Europe have diversified far from the original compound, JWH-018. This diversification has run in tandem with the introduction of legislation in a game of cat and mouse. The SC market is fast moving, with new structural groups appearing on the market less than 5 months after the introduction of a general SC ban in China.
format Article
id doaj-art-5e85d0c4bba942189b79e6679a86bf39
institution OA Journals
issn 2667-1182
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Emerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health
spelling doaj-art-5e85d0c4bba942189b79e6679a86bf392025-08-20T02:39:09ZengElsevierEmerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health2667-11822024-12-01410007110.1016/j.etdah.2023.100071From JWH-018 to OXIZIDS: Structural Changes in Newly Emerged Synthetic Cannabinoids in the European Union from December 2008 to December 2021R. Andrews0R. Jorge1R. Christie2A. Gallegos3University of Bath, UKUniversity of Bath, UKUniversity of Bath, UKUniversity of Bath, UKIntroduction: With new synthetic cannabinoids (SC) appearing on the European drug market every year, regional early warning systems are key to detect, monitor, and respond to the threats posed by them. The European Union Early Warning System (EU EWS) implemented by the EMCDDA started monitoring these substances in 2008. Since then, various national, European, and international drug controls have been implemented aiming at tackling these compounds. As a response, new SCs have appeared in the market containing structural moieties not covered by controls in place, increasing the diversity of substances and complexity of forensic analysis. Methods: All SCs under monitoring by the EMCDDA by the end of 2021 were organised according to their 4 structural elements: core, tail, linker, and linked groups. SC structural evolution has been analyzed in tandem with European and international legislation. Results: This study describes the structural evolution of SCs that have appeared in the EU, employing an in-depth analysis of the core, linker, linked and tail groups. This data has been compiled into tree maps and histograms, and a timeline displaying key structural milestones. Conclusions: SCs in Europe have diversified far from the original compound, JWH-018. This diversification has run in tandem with the introduction of legislation in a game of cat and mouse. The SC market is fast moving, with new structural groups appearing on the market less than 5 months after the introduction of a general SC ban in China.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667118223000223
spellingShingle R. Andrews
R. Jorge
R. Christie
A. Gallegos
From JWH-018 to OXIZIDS: Structural Changes in Newly Emerged Synthetic Cannabinoids in the European Union from December 2008 to December 2021
Emerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health
title From JWH-018 to OXIZIDS: Structural Changes in Newly Emerged Synthetic Cannabinoids in the European Union from December 2008 to December 2021
title_full From JWH-018 to OXIZIDS: Structural Changes in Newly Emerged Synthetic Cannabinoids in the European Union from December 2008 to December 2021
title_fullStr From JWH-018 to OXIZIDS: Structural Changes in Newly Emerged Synthetic Cannabinoids in the European Union from December 2008 to December 2021
title_full_unstemmed From JWH-018 to OXIZIDS: Structural Changes in Newly Emerged Synthetic Cannabinoids in the European Union from December 2008 to December 2021
title_short From JWH-018 to OXIZIDS: Structural Changes in Newly Emerged Synthetic Cannabinoids in the European Union from December 2008 to December 2021
title_sort from jwh 018 to oxizids structural changes in newly emerged synthetic cannabinoids in the european union from december 2008 to december 2021
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667118223000223
work_keys_str_mv AT randrews fromjwh018tooxizidsstructuralchangesinnewlyemergedsyntheticcannabinoidsintheeuropeanunionfromdecember2008todecember2021
AT rjorge fromjwh018tooxizidsstructuralchangesinnewlyemergedsyntheticcannabinoidsintheeuropeanunionfromdecember2008todecember2021
AT rchristie fromjwh018tooxizidsstructuralchangesinnewlyemergedsyntheticcannabinoidsintheeuropeanunionfromdecember2008todecember2021
AT agallegos fromjwh018tooxizidsstructuralchangesinnewlyemergedsyntheticcannabinoidsintheeuropeanunionfromdecember2008todecember2021