2. New psychoactive substances –
‘club drugs’ (Abdulrahmin et al, 2015)
• This group of drugs includes synthetic chemicals constructed from a
range of ingredients.
• They may be depressants, stimulants or hallucinogens, depending on
their composition.
• There are no ‘set rules’ for these substances known as ‘legal highs’ or
NPS.
• They are problematic because they could contain any number of
harmful ingredients with no standardisation.
• People do not know what they are taking.
4. Depressants
Depressants include:
• GHB & GBL – ‘liquid ecstasy’
Sedative effects, sometimes known as the ‘date rape’ drug.
Usually a liquid in a phial.
• Ketamine – ‘special K’, ‘K’
– An anaesthetic, has a dissociative effect. A powder.
• Nitrous oxide - laughing gas
– Anaesthetic with euphoric effects. Small gas cylinder.
5. Stimulants
• Synthetic cocaine & piperazines – BZP
– Similar action to amphetamines
• Amphetamine-type substances
– Most commonly used drug worldwide after cannabis. Aid concentration
and ward off fatigue.
• Methamphetamine – Ice, crystal meth, china white
– Club drug. World wide use, but limited in UK. Heavy use causes brain
damage. Class A drug.
• Mephedrone – meow-meow, M-Cat, (Bath salts in US).
– Derived from the plant khat. Used as ‘legal’ alternative to cocaine. Now
banned substance and declining use.
• Ecstasy & derivatives (i.e. MDMA, MDA, benzofuran, PMA, PMMA)
– ‘Club drug’ for recreational, dance use. Derivatives spawned from
MDMA to create ‘legal’ versions of ecstasy
6. Hallucinogens
These substances distort perception and usually classed as
hallucinogens or ‘psychedelic’
• LSD and derivatives
– ‘Acid’, tabs, blotter – in tab form, compounds derived
from LSD ingredients.
• Psilocybin
– Magic mushrooms/liberty caps and cultivated species.
• Phenethylamines
– Mescaline, N-Bombs, DOM, etc.
7. Now view the video from Dr Oliver
Sutcliffe, Senior Lecturer in
pharmaceutical and analytical
chemistry at Manchester
Metropolitan University.
Here he describes the harms
associated with, and types of, New
Psychoactive Substances (NPS).
8. Reference
Abdulrahim D & Bowden-Jones O, on behalf of the NEPTUNE Expert Group. Guidance
on the Management of Acute and Chronic Harms of Club Drugs and Novel Psychoactive
Substances. Novel Psychoactive Treatment UK Network (NEPTUNE). London, 2015.