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Abstract
In the last decade, the trend of drug consumption has completely changed, and several new psychoactive substances (NPS) have appeared on the drug market as legal alternatives to common drugs of abuse. Designed to reproduce the effects of illegal substances like cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine, or ketamine, NPS are only in part controlled by UN conventions and represent an emerging threat to global public health. The effects of NPS greatly differ from drug to drug and relatively scarce information is available at present about their pharmacology and potential toxic effects. Yet, compared to more traditional drugs, more dangerous short- and long-term effects have been associated with their use, and hospitalizations and fatal intoxications have also been reported after NPS use. In the era of cyberculture, the Internet acts as an ideal platform to promote and market these compounds, leading to a global phenomenon. Hidden by several aliases, these substances are sold across the web, and information about consumption is shared by online communities through drug fora, YouTube channels, social networks, and smartphone applications (apps). This review intends to provide an overview and analysis of social media that contribute to the popularity of NPS especially among young people. The possibility of using the same channels responsible for their growing diffusion to make users aware of the risks associated with NPS use is proposed.
Highlights
In the last 10 years, an increasing number of new psychoactive substances (NPS) has flooded the drug market
NPS are drugs of misuse not included in the International United Nations Conventions, which can bypass the supply reduction strategies of law enforcement agencies and sanctions related to the use and sale of illicit substances
The subsequent legal control of these substances only initiates the reformulation of NPS, which induces a typical loop that is highly dangerous to public health
Summary
In the last 10 years, an increasing number of new psychoactive substances (NPS) has flooded the drug market. When inserting into classical searching engines, such as Google, keywords like “legal highs” or “herbal highs”, many websites are listed that offer drugs which are still legal thanks to the time that typically elapses from the appearance of a new substance into the market and its introduction in the list of regulated substances [13] Few of these websites explicitly sold NPS; gaudy pictures, reduced price for first purchase, proposals for use of new equipment (e.g., vaporizers or smoking pipes), gift ideas, and holidays sales are only some examples of the tricks they use to capture the attention of young consumers. Everyone who is looking for a new sensorial experience and willing to try a psychoactive substance is encouraged to make the purchase with guaranteed secure payment and fast shipment
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