Discuss how new psychoactive substances (NPS) continue to avoid regulatory control and explain the term "designer drugs" as applied to these substances.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

(Answers may vary.)The trend of increased creativity in the preparation of synthetic psychoactive substances or spinoffs of known substances is fueled by widespread access to drug formulas via the Internet, and by the urgency of dealers to escape legislation that is constantly adapting in an effort to control known drugs. The United States Congress signed into law the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act (SDAPA) in July 2012, which identified 26 substances as Schedule I controlled substances, establishing drug codes for enforcement. Despite legislative efforts, however, small alterations in formulas by drug designers consistently outpace efforts to control or ban NPS. Each year the number of NPS far exceeds the number of substances that are put under regulatory control (the number of NPS globally more than doubled during the years 2009 through 2013).Until they are placed under regulatory control, these substances are often marketed as legal alternatives to controlled drugs, said to be "legal highs" or "herbal highs," to emphasize a seemingly safe and natural origin. Substances are also masked under the name of ordinary household products, such as bath salts, plant food, herbal incense, potpourri, or jewelry cleaner, to imply that they are both harmless and legal. In truth, some of these substances are so potent that that an amount as small as a grain of salt can produce adverse effects.NPS are commonly referred to by both the general population and national associations as "synthetic drugs" or "designer drugs," and are often labeled by dealers as "research chemicals" that are not for human consumption to avoid prosecution.