The Authors’ Own Words: Synthetic cannabinoid use among a sample of individuals enrolled in community-based recovery programs: Are synthetic cannabinoids actually preferred to other drugs?

The Authors’ Own Words:

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Synthetic cannabinoid use among a sample of individuals enrolled in community-based recovery programs: Are synthetic cannabinoids actually preferred to other drugs?

Kirsten Elin Smith, MSW & Michele Staton, PhD

Substance Abuse Vol. 40, Iss. 2, 2019

“A majority of individuals (68%) enrolled in peer-led residential recovery programs who reported synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist (SCRA) use were more likely to be younger, White, and to have been arrested and experienced homelessness in the past year compared to those who had not used SCRA. Though this group reported versatile substance use patterns, including use of other novel psychoactive drugs, they did not prefer SCRA to other drugs. Rather, heroin, non-prescribed opioids, and amphetamines were preferred. One reason may be that several adverse side effects were attributed to SCRA use. This latter finding is particularly concerning in that individuals using SCRA to circumnavigate drug monitoring, such as some in this clinical sample reported, may be motivated not to disclose use or seek medical treatment for SCRA-related effects. Indeed, few individuals who reported adverse SCRA side effects also reported seeking medical care. Given that SCRA are typically undetectable via standard drug screens, clinicians should consider alternative assessment methods and remain mindful of how psychiatric symptoms may be influenced by SCRA use. These findings indicate that only a minority of individuals who reported lifetime SCRA use prefer SCRA and intend to use it in the future, perhaps indicating that use of some SCRA compounds will not endure long-term.“