Synthetic cannabinoids: an integrative theoretical review

Synthetic cannabinoids are agonists of cannabinoid receptors and produce similar effects to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive phytocannabinoid of Cannabis Sativa. Synthetic cannabinoids are classified as “new psychoactive substances” (NPS), and are the most numerous type of substance in this group with over 200 types. The effects of synthetic cannabinoids, although similar to those produced by THC, are of the order of 2 to 800 times more potent, as they are total agonists of the receptors. Among the most reported effects are anxiety, nausea, paranoia, and tachycardia, although there is a strong relationship between psychotic disorders and synthetic cannabinoid use. Although the prevalence of the use of these substances is relatively low for the general population, there are different subpopulations such as people who are incarcerated or polyconsumers whose consumption is significantly higher due to different motivations of use, among which the difficulty of tracing them in drug analyses stands out.