Spice drugs: los cannabinoides como nuevas drogas de diseño Spice drugs: cannabinoids as a new designer drugs

Autores/as

  • Cristina Mustata Unidad de Farmacología Humana y Neurociencias, Programa de Neuropsicofarmacología, IMIM-Hospital del Mar. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.
  • Marta Torrens Unidad de Farmacología Humana y Neurociencias, Programa de Neuropsicofarmacología, IMIM-Hospital del Mar, Barcelona. Unidad de Toxicomanías, Institut d’Atenció Psiquiàtrica, Salut Mental i Toxicomanies, IMIM-Hospital del Mar, Barcelona.
  • Ricardo Pardo Unidad de Farmacología Humana y Neurociencias, Programa de Neuropsicofarmacología, IMIM-Hospital del Mar. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.
  • Clara Pérez Unidad de Farmacología Humana y Neurociencias, Programa de Neuropsicofarmacología, IMIM-Hospital del Mar. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.
  • The Psychonaut Web Mapping Group Fabrizio Schifano, Paolo Deluca, Zoe Davey, Ornella Corazza, Marta Torrens, Magi Farre, Arvid Skutle, Liv Flesland, Lucia di Furia, Stefania Pagani, Valentina Minelli, Miia Mannonen, Teuvo Peltoniemi, Aino Majava, Norbert Scherbaum, Holger Siemann, Peer van der Kreeft.
  • Magi Farré Unidad de Farmacología Humana y Neurociencias, Programa de Neuropsicofarmacología, IMIM-Hospital del Mar. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. Enviar correspondencia a: Magi Farré. Unidad de Farmacología Humana y Neurociencias, IMIM-Hospital del Mar, calle del Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20882/adicciones.227

Palabras clave:

Spice drugs, cannabinoides sintéticos, drogas de diseño, JWH-018, CP 47497, JWH-073, HU-210 Spice drugs, synthetic cannabinoids designer drugs, JWH-018, CP 47497, JWH-073, HU-210

Resumen

Desde 2004 se venden en Internet y tiendas especializadas (smart shops) algunos preparados conteniendo mezclas de hierbas para fumar con la marca de Spice drugs. Estos productos se publicitan como una mezcla exótica de incienso aromático y se especifica que no son aptos para uso humano. Muchos usuarios, tras consumir estos productos fumados, refieren que sus efectos son similares a los del cannabis. Los preparados Spice drugs se han hecho muy populares en los foros de Internet sobre drogas ya que podrían representar la posibilidad de obtener un sustituto legal del cannabis. Los análisis forenses de algunos de estos preparados encontraron la presencia de agonistas cannabinoides sintéticos muy potentes como el JWH-018, CP 47497, JWH-073 y HU-210. Hay muy pocos datos sobre sus propiedades farmacológicas en animales y ninguno sobre su toxicidad. En la actualidad, no se sabe casi nada sobre su farmacología, toxicología y seguridad en humanos, si exceptuamos las opiniones de los consumidores en Internet. Ni los ingredientes vegetales, ni ninguno de los cannabinoides encontrados se hallan en las listas de sustancias controladas de las convenciones de 1961 o 1971 de la ONU. Recientemente, algunos países han emprendido acciones legales para prohibir o controlar los preparados Spice drugs y similares. Estos cannabinoides pueden considerarse nuevas sustancias a añadir a la lista de drogas de diseño.
Some smokable herbal mixtures under the brand name Spice drugs have been sold on the Internet and in specialised shops (smart shops) since 2004. The mixtures are advertised as an exotic incense blend which releases a rich aroma and not for human consumption. When smoked, Spice drugs products have been reported by some users to have effects similar to those of cannabis. Spice drugs have received intensive attention in drug forums due to the possibility to obtain a non legal substitute of cannabis. Forensic analyses have found different potent synthetic cannabinoid agonists in some Spice drugs products, as JWH- 018, CP 47497, JWH-073 and HU-210. There are few data about its pharmacological properties in animals, but nothing about its toxicity. At present, almost nothing is known about the pharmacology, toxicology and safety profile of such compounds in humans, except the opinions of consumers in internet forums. Neither the herbal ingredients of Spice drugs, nor any of the synthetic cannabinoids found in them, are internationally controlled under the 1961 or 1971 UN drug control conventions. Some European countries have recently taken legal actions to ban or otherwise control Spice drugs products and related compounds. These cannabinoid substances can be considered as new products to be added to the list of “designer drugs”.

Biografía del autor/a

Cristina Mustata, Unidad de Farmacología Humana y Neurociencias, Programa de Neuropsicofarmacología, IMIM-Hospital del Mar. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.

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Publicado

2009-09-01

Número

Vol. 21 Núm. 3 (2009)

Sección

Editorial