Ignite Creation Date:
2024-05-06 @ 12:09 PM
Last Modification Date:
2024-10-26 @ 12:55 PM
Study NCT ID:
NCT03695419
Status:
UNKNOWN
Last Update Posted:
2018-10-05
First Post:
2018-09-29
Brief Title:
Prevalence of New Psychoactive Substances Use
Sponsor:
Assiut University
Organization:
Assiut University
Study Overview
Official Title:
Prevalence of New Psychoactive Substances Use Among Outpatient of Addiction Management Clinic in Assiut University Hospital
Status:
UNKNOWN
Status Verified Date:
2018-10
Last Known Status:
NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Delayed Posting:
No
If Stopped, Why?:
Not Stopped
Has Expanded Access:
False
If Expanded Access, NCT#:
N/A
Has Expanded Access, NCT# Status:
N/A
Acronym:
None
Brief Summary:
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime UNODC World Drug Report the annual prevalence of drug use seemed to be stable for the past few years However new psychoactive substances NPS have increased drastically in both supply and demandMany NPS were discovered at the same time as other drugs and it was simply for whatever reasons these other drugs became popular The majority of these substances are chemicals produced by tweaking or altering the molecular structure of previous well-known psychoactive agents such as cannabis cocaine methylenedioxymeth-amphetamine or MDMA commonly known as ecstasy and lysergic acid diethylamide or LSD which are being sold as legal highs research chemicals herbal highs party pills or plant food in an attempt to stay ahead of the law prohibiting the sale and use of psychoactive drugsSubstance abuse rates in Egypt have hit 10 or double the global average Tramadol is the most abused substance followed by cannabis and heroinIn the past two years two new drugs - known as Strox and Voodoo - have hit the Egyptian marketVoodoo is a combination of an aromatic plant like marjoram or incense which is infused with a synthetic cannabinoid that is up to 100 times as powerful as natural marijuana Shabu is another name for methamphetamine hydrochloride also known as crystal meth Meth is a highly addictive stimulant that causes its user irreversible harm physically and mentally Pregabalin is increasingly being reported as possessing a potential for misuse
Detailed Description:
In 2014 the estimated population who were suffering from drug abuse and drug-related disorders reached over 29 million worldwide making it a global health challenge Moreover 435 per million people die annually from associated drug use According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime UNODC World Drug Report the annual prevalence of drug use seemed to be stable for the past few years However new psychoactive substances NPS have increased drastically in both supply and demand
The term new psychoactive substances had been legally defined earlier by the European Union as a new narcotic or psychotropic drug in pure form or in a preparation that is not scheduled under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 or the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 but which may pose a public health threat comparable to that posed by substances listed in those conventions Although the NPS terminology seems to imply the creation of novel drugs many are not new In fact most psychoactive drugs that later became abused have been in use for at least a century Many NPS were discovered at the same time as other drugs and it was simply for whatever reasons these other drugs became popular The majority of these substances are chemicals produced by tweaking or altering the molecular structure of previous well-known psychoactive agents such as cannabis cocaine methylenedioxymeth-amphetamine or MDMA commonly known as ecstasy and lysergic acid diethylamide or LSD which are being sold as legal highs research chemicals herbal highs party pills or plant food in an attempt to stay ahead of the law prohibiting the sale and use of psychoactive drugs
On the basis of that definition European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction EMCDDA identified the following groups of substances covered by its early warning system on NPS
Phenethylamines which encompass a wide range of substances that may exhibit stimulant entactogenic or hallucinogenic effects
Tryptamines which include a number of substances that have predominantly hallucinogenic effects
Piperazines which are represented inter alia by mchlorophenylpiperazine mCPP and BZP both of which are central nervous system stimulants
Synthetic cathinones which have stimulant effects The main cathinone derivatives are the semi-synthetic methcathinone and the synthetic compounds mephedrone methylone and MDPV
Synthetic cannabinoids are functionally similar to THC the active compound of cannabis
Other substances reported to the early warning system include various plant-derived and synthetic psychoactive substances eg indanes benzodifuranyls narcotic analgesics synthetic cocaine derivatives ketamine and phencyclidine derivatives which do not strictly belong to any of the above-mentioned drug families Also included are a number of medicinal products and derivatives
NPS are formulated in a variety of forms and when sold in the market many contain mixtures of different substances some including controlled drugs Smoked ingested snorted or injected NPS can produce a variety of psychotropic effects which can be similar to those related to the controlled substances they contain or to the chemical entities that they are derived from Based on their clinical effects NPS can be classified as stimulants empathogens-entactogens sedative-hypnotic-anxiolytics dissociatives and hallucinogens Alternatively they can be classified according to their chemical class as phenethylamines piperazines tryptamines synthetic cathinones alkylindoles synthetic cannabinoids and arylcyclohexylamines
Substance abuse rates in Egypt have hit 10 or double the global average Tramadol is the most abused substance followed by cannabis and heroin The ancient culture of Egypt includes an equally ancient history of drug and alcohol abuse Opium and hashish have been used in Egypt for centuries and recent tests have found cocaine in mummified remains-a discovery that has confounded historians who considered that the coca plant was purely a South American phenomenon until recent timesIt was in the 1980s that use of narcotics began to escalate to serious levels Currently Egypt is one of Africas top cultivators of cannabis and opium poppies The number of hectares discovered that are dedicated to growing addictive substances has been increasing steadily over the last decade The amount of bango-the local name for marijuana-seizures have also been increasing from 60000 kg per year up to 80000 kg and above
In the past two years two new drugs - known as Strox and Voodoo - have hit the Egyptian marketVoodoo is a combination of an aromatic plant like marjoram or incense which is infused with a synthetic cannabinoid that is up to 100 times as powerful as natural marijuana The most common brand is Mister Nice Guy which is sold in a small bag decorated with a smiley emoticon The bag has a warning that reads relaxing incense not edible Strox is also made with an aromatic plant like marjoram and incense which is then sprayed with active medical substances used as pain relievers in case of cramps or stomach aches like atropine hyoscine and hyoscyamine These substances can have psychotropic effects when taken in large doses Usually these two drugs are mixed with tobacco and then smoked
Shabu is another name for methamphetamine hydrochloride also known as crystal meth Meth is a highly addictive stimulant that causes its user irreversible harm physically and mentallyit is a white odorless substance Typically you will find it in a crystal formation or crystalline powder It tends to be bitter in taste Sometimes its combined with caffeine or other chemicals Furthermore it can be packaged in the form of a pill for easy measurement and distribution
Pregabalin is widely used in neurology psychiatry and primary healthcare Pregabalin has been identified within the 30 most prescribed medications in the USA in 2011 In Europe pregabalin is approved for the treatment of epilepsy partial seizures neuropathic pain and generalised anxiety disorder In the USA although not approved for anxiety pregabalin is further approved for fibromyalgia and post-herpetic neuralgia The molecule is however also often prescribed off-label for a range of clinical conditions including bipolar disorder alcoholnarcotic withdrawal states attention-deficithyperactivity disorder restless legs syndrome trigeminal neuralgia and non-neuropathic pain disorders Pregabalin is increasingly being reported as possessing a potential for misuse 10 In the UK for example pregabalin prescribing has increased respectively by 350 and 150 in just 5 years In Norway Persheim et al analysed changes for the period 2008-2011 in the drug reimbursement system relating to expenditures for potentially addictive drugs in patients with severenon-malignant chronic pain and found that about one-third of the approved applications were for pregabalin In parallel with this there is an anecdotally growing black market with pregabalin being allegedly available without prescriptions through online pharmacies
Medications obtained by patients for treatment of common ailments without a prescription from a physician are known as over-the-counter OTC or non-prescription medications OTC medications provide prevention and treatment for a wide range of conditions including but not limited to headaches common cold musculoskeletal pain allergies tobacco dependence and heartburn Multiple OTC medications have abuse potential Commonly abused medications include antihistamines sleep aids caffeine ephedrine pseudoephedrine antitussives and expectorants dextromethorphan laxatives anabolic steroids and sildenafil Laxatives are abused for weight loss and high antihistamines doses are used for euphoria
Tropicamide is an antimuscarinic ophthalmic solution used to produce short-acting mydriasis and cycloplegia Topical abuse of ophthalmic solutions has been reported but intravenous IV abuse of tropicamide seems to be a new phenomenon
The term new psychoactive substances had been legally defined earlier by the European Union as a new narcotic or psychotropic drug in pure form or in a preparation that is not scheduled under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 or the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 but which may pose a public health threat comparable to that posed by substances listed in those conventions Although the NPS terminology seems to imply the creation of novel drugs many are not new In fact most psychoactive drugs that later became abused have been in use for at least a century Many NPS were discovered at the same time as other drugs and it was simply for whatever reasons these other drugs became popular The majority of these substances are chemicals produced by tweaking or altering the molecular structure of previous well-known psychoactive agents such as cannabis cocaine methylenedioxymeth-amphetamine or MDMA commonly known as ecstasy and lysergic acid diethylamide or LSD which are being sold as legal highs research chemicals herbal highs party pills or plant food in an attempt to stay ahead of the law prohibiting the sale and use of psychoactive drugs
On the basis of that definition European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction EMCDDA identified the following groups of substances covered by its early warning system on NPS
Phenethylamines which encompass a wide range of substances that may exhibit stimulant entactogenic or hallucinogenic effects
Tryptamines which include a number of substances that have predominantly hallucinogenic effects
Piperazines which are represented inter alia by mchlorophenylpiperazine mCPP and BZP both of which are central nervous system stimulants
Synthetic cathinones which have stimulant effects The main cathinone derivatives are the semi-synthetic methcathinone and the synthetic compounds mephedrone methylone and MDPV
Synthetic cannabinoids are functionally similar to THC the active compound of cannabis
Other substances reported to the early warning system include various plant-derived and synthetic psychoactive substances eg indanes benzodifuranyls narcotic analgesics synthetic cocaine derivatives ketamine and phencyclidine derivatives which do not strictly belong to any of the above-mentioned drug families Also included are a number of medicinal products and derivatives
NPS are formulated in a variety of forms and when sold in the market many contain mixtures of different substances some including controlled drugs Smoked ingested snorted or injected NPS can produce a variety of psychotropic effects which can be similar to those related to the controlled substances they contain or to the chemical entities that they are derived from Based on their clinical effects NPS can be classified as stimulants empathogens-entactogens sedative-hypnotic-anxiolytics dissociatives and hallucinogens Alternatively they can be classified according to their chemical class as phenethylamines piperazines tryptamines synthetic cathinones alkylindoles synthetic cannabinoids and arylcyclohexylamines
Substance abuse rates in Egypt have hit 10 or double the global average Tramadol is the most abused substance followed by cannabis and heroin The ancient culture of Egypt includes an equally ancient history of drug and alcohol abuse Opium and hashish have been used in Egypt for centuries and recent tests have found cocaine in mummified remains-a discovery that has confounded historians who considered that the coca plant was purely a South American phenomenon until recent timesIt was in the 1980s that use of narcotics began to escalate to serious levels Currently Egypt is one of Africas top cultivators of cannabis and opium poppies The number of hectares discovered that are dedicated to growing addictive substances has been increasing steadily over the last decade The amount of bango-the local name for marijuana-seizures have also been increasing from 60000 kg per year up to 80000 kg and above
In the past two years two new drugs - known as Strox and Voodoo - have hit the Egyptian marketVoodoo is a combination of an aromatic plant like marjoram or incense which is infused with a synthetic cannabinoid that is up to 100 times as powerful as natural marijuana The most common brand is Mister Nice Guy which is sold in a small bag decorated with a smiley emoticon The bag has a warning that reads relaxing incense not edible Strox is also made with an aromatic plant like marjoram and incense which is then sprayed with active medical substances used as pain relievers in case of cramps or stomach aches like atropine hyoscine and hyoscyamine These substances can have psychotropic effects when taken in large doses Usually these two drugs are mixed with tobacco and then smoked
Shabu is another name for methamphetamine hydrochloride also known as crystal meth Meth is a highly addictive stimulant that causes its user irreversible harm physically and mentallyit is a white odorless substance Typically you will find it in a crystal formation or crystalline powder It tends to be bitter in taste Sometimes its combined with caffeine or other chemicals Furthermore it can be packaged in the form of a pill for easy measurement and distribution
Pregabalin is widely used in neurology psychiatry and primary healthcare Pregabalin has been identified within the 30 most prescribed medications in the USA in 2011 In Europe pregabalin is approved for the treatment of epilepsy partial seizures neuropathic pain and generalised anxiety disorder In the USA although not approved for anxiety pregabalin is further approved for fibromyalgia and post-herpetic neuralgia The molecule is however also often prescribed off-label for a range of clinical conditions including bipolar disorder alcoholnarcotic withdrawal states attention-deficithyperactivity disorder restless legs syndrome trigeminal neuralgia and non-neuropathic pain disorders Pregabalin is increasingly being reported as possessing a potential for misuse 10 In the UK for example pregabalin prescribing has increased respectively by 350 and 150 in just 5 years In Norway Persheim et al analysed changes for the period 2008-2011 in the drug reimbursement system relating to expenditures for potentially addictive drugs in patients with severenon-malignant chronic pain and found that about one-third of the approved applications were for pregabalin In parallel with this there is an anecdotally growing black market with pregabalin being allegedly available without prescriptions through online pharmacies
Medications obtained by patients for treatment of common ailments without a prescription from a physician are known as over-the-counter OTC or non-prescription medications OTC medications provide prevention and treatment for a wide range of conditions including but not limited to headaches common cold musculoskeletal pain allergies tobacco dependence and heartburn Multiple OTC medications have abuse potential Commonly abused medications include antihistamines sleep aids caffeine ephedrine pseudoephedrine antitussives and expectorants dextromethorphan laxatives anabolic steroids and sildenafil Laxatives are abused for weight loss and high antihistamines doses are used for euphoria
Tropicamide is an antimuscarinic ophthalmic solution used to produce short-acting mydriasis and cycloplegia Topical abuse of ophthalmic solutions has been reported but intravenous IV abuse of tropicamide seems to be a new phenomenon
Study Oversight
Has Oversight DMC:
None
Is a FDA Regulated Drug?:
False
Is a FDA Regulated Device?:
False
Is an Unapproved Device?:
None
Is a PPSD?:
None
Is a US Export?:
None
Is an FDA AA801 Violation?:
None