TY - JOUR
T1 - Psychoactive drug or mystical incense?
T2 - Overview of the online available information on Spice products
AU - Schifano, Fabrizio
AU - Corazza, Ornella
AU - Deluca, Paolo
AU - Davey, Zoe
AU - Lucia, Di Furia
AU - Farre, Magi
AU - Flesland, Liv
AU - Mannonen, Miia
AU - Pagani, Stefania
AU - Peltoniemi, Teuvo
AU - Pezzolesi, Cinzia
AU - Scherbaum, Norbert
AU - Siemann, Holger
AU - Skutle, Arvid
AU - Torrens, Marta
AU - van der Kreeft, Peer
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - The aim of the study was to foster the collection and analysis of data from web pages related to information on the consumption, manufacture and sale of Spice products, a brand name for an herbal smoking blend, sold as legal substitute for cannabis. The Google search engine was used to carry out an 8-language qualitative assessment of information available on Spice products in a sample of about 200 web sites. The level of information elicited included both the users' comments on the effects of the products and the reasons behind their popularity. Users' suggestions on unusual drug combinations not found in the Medline were also identified. This is the first comprehensive and multilingual overview of the online available information on Spice products. The appeal of Spice to online customers was associated with its legal status, lack of detection in biological samples, ease of online access and cannabis-like effects. Spice product descriptions did not typically mention the presence of the powerful synthetic THC receptor agonists that seem to account for the psychoactive effects. Health professionals may need to be aware of the web being a new drug resource for both information and purchase of Spice products.
AB - The aim of the study was to foster the collection and analysis of data from web pages related to information on the consumption, manufacture and sale of Spice products, a brand name for an herbal smoking blend, sold as legal substitute for cannabis. The Google search engine was used to carry out an 8-language qualitative assessment of information available on Spice products in a sample of about 200 web sites. The level of information elicited included both the users' comments on the effects of the products and the reasons behind their popularity. Users' suggestions on unusual drug combinations not found in the Medline were also identified. This is the first comprehensive and multilingual overview of the online available information on Spice products. The appeal of Spice to online customers was associated with its legal status, lack of detection in biological samples, ease of online access and cannabis-like effects. Spice product descriptions did not typically mention the presence of the powerful synthetic THC receptor agonists that seem to account for the psychoactive effects. Health professionals may need to be aware of the web being a new drug resource for both information and purchase of Spice products.
U2 - 10.1080/17542860903350888
DO - 10.1080/17542860903350888
M3 - Article
SN - 1754-2871
VL - 2
SP - 137
EP - 144
JO - International Journal of Culture and Mental Health
JF - International Journal of Culture and Mental Health
IS - 2
ER -