Abstract
To counter the spread of the many analogues of psychoactive substances, the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law in Japan was amended in 2006 to establish a new category, “Designated Substances.” However, new analogues of controlled substances, particularly synthetic cannabinoids and cathinone derivatives, continued to appear one after another. To avoid a cat-and-mouse game between the authorities and illicit-drug manufacturers, a comprehensive system (generic scheduling) for designating the naphthoylindole-type synthetic cannabinoids and the cathinone derivatives was added to the “Designated Substances” law in 2013. Although these substances were rarely detected thereafter, they were replaced by other types. In particular, the synthetic cannabinoids, with structures are made up of carboxamide or carboxylate ester, and the cathinone derivatives, with long alkyl side chains, entered the drug market in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Continuous and dedicated monitoring of the emergence of these substances is clearly essential to prevent their widespread distribution.
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