Herbal Highs

sambuka41

I was wondering if anyone on here could point me in the direction of some research around these head shop drugs?? I've been looking (not extensively) but cant seem to find much. Would like to get some proper information rather than what the news papers are reporting!

Also this has become a big issue where i work and is having disasterous effects on the people i work with (and some of my friends!:p) Some have mentioned hearing voices while under the influence, most are more aggressive both while under the influence and for days after, some have stated that they feel extremely depressed. I am yet to see anyone taking these and not being effected adversely. Does anyone else have experiences around these drugs?

Victor

sambuka41 wrote: »

I was wondering if anyone on here could point me in the direction of some research around these head shop drugs?? I've been looking (not extensively) but cant seem to find much. Would like to get some proper information rather than what the news papers are reporting!

Some psychologist was quoted as saying he's seen some pretty disturbed people recently, who have used head shops.

There is very little research (a) nobody dares put an experiment together so only (b) observational studies can take place. There is insufficient data at the moment on any one substance to make definite decisions. However, the consensus seems to be that its rather daft to use most of these substances.

Valmont

sambuka41 wrote: »

I am yet to see anyone taking these and not being effected adversely.

I don't think anyone would be taking them if they were not adversely affected. That is the whole idea after all.

Before we all start frothing at the mouth here, just remember that some simple economics would tell us that most people have a grand old time. If most people, as you say, were affected in a very bad way then surely they would cease buying the products? Judging by the rate at which these headshops have popped up all over the country, I would guess that their customers don't have many complaints.

I'm not advocating anything here but this is the psychology forum and I wish more people approached such issues rationally and with some skepticism before jumping on a bandwagon driven by media furore. Don't be mistaken, that is exactly where all the fuss is being generated.

sambuka41 wrote: »

Some have mentioned hearing voices while under the influence, most are more aggressive both while under the influence and for days after, some have stated that they feel extremely depressed.

Scotch anyone?

Valmont

Victor wrote: »

However, the consensus seems to be that its rather daft to use most of these substances.

The "Joe Duffy" consensus apparently.

You said it yourself, the research isn't there to assume anything at this stage. That said, I don't see any problems with erring on the side of caution.

JuliusCaesar

Valmont wrote: »

the research isn't there to assume anything at this stage. That said, I don't see any problems with erring on the side of caution.

This is it exactly. There is no research (that I know of - the medics might know of some over in Health Professions) on immediate or long-term effects of what seem to be newish substances. At least with alcohol and other drugs of abuse, we know exactly what the effects are.

sambuka41

Valmont wrote: »

Before we all start frothing at the mouth here, just remember that some simple economics would tell us that most people have a grand old time. If most people, as you say, were affected in a very bad way then surely they would cease buying the products? Judging by the rate at which these headshops have popped up all over the country, I would guess that their customers don't have many complaints.

I'm not advocating anything here but this is the psychology forum and I wish more people approached such issues rationally and with some skepticism before jumping on a bandwagon driven by media furore. Don't be mistaken, that is exactly where all the fuss is being generated.

I am approaching this with a rational and clear mind thats why i have asked if anyone knew of research and specifically stated that i am not paying attention to the news papers. I am aware of the function of this forum and it is the reason i came here for PROPER information

Of course there is a demand for these drugs and not everyone who uses them has an adverse reaction, I probably could have explained that better in my initial post. The people i work with are habitual drug users and they have suffered some serious health problems as a result of using these drugs. Having known them for some time i have seen more of a deterioration in their quality of life while using these drugs as opposed to when they used the illegal ones. Mainly this seems to be the case with the "snow" or cocaine alternative. I was asking if anyone working on the front line in the area has had similar experiences.

My questions come from a genuine concern for the people I work with and NOT media fuss. I want to understand the effects of these drugs and look at the more long term implications to them,is that not what this forum is about????

Victor

Valmont wrote: »

If most people, as you say, were affected in a very bad way then surely they would cease buying the products?

Not necessarily. Substance abusers tend not to be very good at looking after themselves. We know tobacco cause cancer, but people still go back for them.

33% God

Much of the head shop substances are inadequately researched, particularly the synthetic cannabinoids that are being used to imitate cannabis. It's unfortunate that people ingest chemicals such as these in order to get the effect they could get from substances that, while not necessarily wonderful, are at least a bit better researched.
A further problem is that even for substances that we know a bit about, instructions for use are not adequately given (the "not for human consumption" disclaimers on what we all know no-one buys as bath salts).

Some of their stuff is well researched though, and has been used by humans for centuries. Salvia is one (possibly the only one) of these. Erowid has proven itself to be a good site for compiling research about psycoactives, have a trawl through their "vaults" http://www.erowid.org/plants/salvia/salvia.shtml

Odysseus

sambuka41 wrote: »

I was wondering if anyone on here could point me in the direction of some research around these head shop drugs?? I've been looking (not extensively) but cant seem to find much. Would like to get some proper information rather than what the news papers are reporting!

Also this has become a big issue where i work and is having disasterous effects on the people i work with (and some of my friends!:p) Some have mentioned hearing voices while under the influence, most are more aggressive both while under the influence and for days after, some have stated that they feel extremely depressed. I am yet to see anyone taking these and not being effected adversely. Does anyone else have experiences around these drugs?

I work in the Addiction Services anf to the best of my knowledge there is little if any quality information around these substances as yet. I have seen little evidence of adverse effects from these substances in my practice to date. I know of some using the coke related products IV this seems to be becoming a common practice.

These substances have become well known over the past few months due to the media attention, however, I have been waiting for the past couple of years to see what type of problems they would present, to date I have only worked with a handful of people actually using these substances, so my experience does not match what is being presented in the media, additionally, from what I know other workers in my area are not experiencing a flood of people presenting due to these substance. Actually I would see more people for issues like OCT codeine abuse than stuff from the head shops.

That does not mean that they are not causing problems, however, I haven't experienced it yet.