Novel Drugs of Abuse

George Sam Wang; Christopher Hoyte

doi:10.1542/pir.2018-0050

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George Sam Wang, MD*,^†
Christopher Hoyte, MD^†,^‡

^*Section of Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO
^†Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, Denver Health Hospital, Denver, CO
^‡Department of Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, University Hospital, Aurora, CO

AUTHOR DISCLOSURE
Dr Wang has disclosed that he receives royalties from UpToDate for authorship contributions on related topics. Dr Hoyte has disclosed no financial relationships relevant to this article. This commentary does not contain a discussion of an unapproved/investigative use of a commercial product/device.

Abstract

Novel drugs of abuse are synthetic illicit drugs, or analogues of known illicit drugs, that can be more potent. Novel drugs of abuse are often labeled as designer drugs, research chemicals, legal highs, or psychoactive substances. They are often sold as designated legal or nondrug products, such as incense, plant food, or bath salts, with labeling such as “Not for Human Consumption” or “For Use in Research Only.” The prevalence of use of novel drugs of abuse is difficult to determine because specific drugs, compounds, and availability of these drugs are constantly evolving. Changes in chemical structures lead to heterogeneity in physiologic response and clinical symptoms, even within the same category of drug. Pediatricians and emergency medicine physicians should be knowledgeable about novel drugs of abuse and their resulting symptoms for prevention and identification of their use.