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Copyright ©The Author(s) 2016. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Pediatr. Feb 8, 2016; 5(1): 16-24
Published online Feb 8, 2016. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.v5.i1.16
Synthetic cannabinoids 2015: An update for pediatricians in clinical practice
Daniel Castellanos, Leonard M Gralnik
Daniel Castellanos, Leonard M Gralnik, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, United States
Author contributions: All authors equally contributed to this paper with conception and design of the study, literature review and analysis, drafting and critical revision and editing, and final approval of the final version.
Conflict-of-interest statement: No potential conflicts of interest. No financial support.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Daniel Castellanos, MD, Professor, Founding Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, AHC I 349, Miami, FL 33199, United States. dcastell@fiu.edu
Telephone: +1-305-3484147 Fax: +1-305-3480123
Received: July 29, 2015
Peer-review started: July 29, 2015
First decision: November 3, 2015
Revised: November 15, 2015
Accepted: January 5, 2016
Article in press: January 7, 2016
Published online: February 8, 2016
Processing time: 183 Days and 20.1 Hours
Abstract

Synthetic cannabinoids are a group of substances in the world of designer drugs that have become increasingly popular over the past few years. Synthetic cannabinoids are a chemically diverse group of compounds functionally similar to THC. Since first appearing on the world market a few years ago these compounds have evolved rapidly. Newer more potent analogues have been developed. Identifying youth who abuse these substances can be difficult. Newer forms of consumption have also evolved. These products are now manufactured in products that look like natural cannabis resin and in liquid cartridges used in electronic cigarettes. Synthetic cannabinoids appear to be associated with potentially dangerous health effects that are more severe than that of marijuana. Some synthetic cannabinoid compounds have been associated with serious physical consequences, such as, seizures, myocardial infarction and renal damage. In addition, psychoactive effects, such as aggression, confusion, anxiety and psychosis have also been reported. The diagnosis remains primarily clinical with toxicological confirmation difficult due to manufacturers constantly developing new analogues to avoid detection. Pediatricians are urged to familiarize themselves with these drugs and the typical presentations of patients who use them.

Keywords: Synthetic; Cannabinoids; Youth; Children; Adolescents

Core tip: Synthetic cannabinoids are a group of substances that are typically much more potent than natural cannabis. These substances have been increasingly abused by youth over the past few years. A number of published reports have emerged documenting the serious health consequences associated with use of these products. Seizures, myocardial infarction and renal damage are some of the significant physical consequences associated with their use. With current limitations of toxicological analyses pediatricians are urged to familiarize themselves with these drugs and the typical presentations of patients who use them.