What are synthetic cannabinoids?
Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (commonly referred to as ‘synthetic cannabinoids’) are a group of substances that mimic the effects of (–)-trans-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the substance that is primarily responsible for the major psychoactive effects of cannabis. Like THC, the synthetic cannabinoids bind to the cannabinoid receptors in the body.

What problems are associated with their use?
Many of the synthetic cannabinoids sold on the drug market are more potent than THC. This may explain why the harmful effects of synthetic cannabinoids, such as severe and fatal poisoning, may be more common than for cannabis. Another important factor is likely to be the large doses people may be exposed to.

Smoking mixtures are made by spraying synthetic cannabinoids onto plant material. This crude process can result in mixtures that contain large amounts of highly potent cannabinoids, as well as ‘hot pockets’ within individual products where the cannabinoid is highly concentrated. These factors make it difficult for users to control their dose and they can inadvertently take a toxic amount. Smoking mixtures have caused a number of mass poisonings in the United States, while paper impregnated with synthetic cannabinoids can pose a similarly high risk of poisoning because the amount of synthetic cannabinoid can be unevenly distributed.