The brand-new study took a look at withdrawal signs individuals experienced from the drug Spice, which consists of synthetic drugs initially developed to mimic the results of cannabis.
New research from the Addiction and Mental Health Group at the University of Bath highlights obstacles for individuals trying to provide up the drug Spice..
Research released on September 17, 2021, by psychologists at the University of Bath suggests that Spice– which contains artificial drugs initially designed to imitate the effects of cannabis– is more hazardous than cannabis which users are most likely to experience more extreme withdrawal signs when attempting to give up.
Over two thirds (67%) of individuals they observed who attempted to quit Spice reported experiencing a minimum of 3 withdrawal symptoms after attempting to quit, consisting of sleep issues, irritation, and low state of mind. This was considerably even worse than for individuals attempting to provide up cannabis.
Spice is a colloquial name provided to a class of drugs called artificial cannabinoid receptor agonists, often abbreviated to SCRAs. These drugs are produced artificially and are normally sprayed onto an organic material that looks similar to marijuana and can be smoked.
Due to its ease of accessibility and to prevent detection on drugs tests, Spice is often used as a replacement for marijuana (or other drugs), especially amongst homeless people or those in prison. Although they act upon the exact same brain receptors, Spice is much more powerful than cannabis which may make it more addictive and increase the seriousness of withdrawal.
When quickly decreasing the consumption or stopping of a drug that has been utilized in large quantities for a long period of time, withdrawal is the experience of undesirable signs. This happens as the body attempts to adjust itself to the lack of drug effects, which can last for around 2 weeks, and might lead people to utilize more of the drug to provide relief from these signs. The more serious symptoms of withdrawal are, the harder it may be to stop utilizing that drug.
In this study, published in the journal Psychopharmacology (Friday 17 September 2021: 00.01), scientists from the Addiction and Mental Health Group in the University of Baths Department of Psychology asked a sample of participants who use both spice and marijuana to compare their impacts throughout various procedures.
Their assessments were developed to suggest how most likely a drug is to lead to long-lasting harm, such as how severe withdrawal signs are, how long the results last and how quickly tolerance develops (meaning that bigger amounts of the drug are needed to produce the exact same effect as before). When trying to stop, they likewise asked participants which withdrawal symptoms they experienced.
Individuals consistently ranked the effects of Spice as more harmful than marijuana, noting that these results were quicker to emerge however had a shorter period than cannabis. Nevertheless, individuals reported that tolerance to the impacts develops faster for Spice, indicating that people may need to utilize larger dosages more routinely to attain the exact same result as previously.
Participants also rated the withdrawal signs as more severe compared to marijuana, implying that it may be harder for them to give up. The signs individuals reported experiencing after attempting to stop utilizing spice included sleep concerns, irritability, low mood, heart palpitations, and craving (a strong desire to utilize more of the drug).
The research study includes 284 individuals taking part in the Global Drug Survey who formerly attempted to stop using Spice. This is the largest study of Spice withdrawal ever conducted and the first to compare the seriousness of signs with those of cannabis.
Sam Craft, lead author and PhD trainee moneyed by the Medical Research Council, discussed: “Although initially produced as a legal alternative to cannabis, our findings reveal that Spice is a much more damaging drug and people trying to stop are most likely to experience a series of extreme withdrawal signs. Its therefore crucial that higher effort is made to ensure that Spice is not utilized as an alternative for marijuana, or any other drug, and people experiencing issues with Spice should be supported with treatment.”.
Dr. Tom Freeman, senior author and Director of the Addiction and Mental Health Group at the University of Bath included: “These findings determine extreme withdrawal symptoms as an essential medical problem amongst people utilizing Spice, and highlight the urgent need to establish efficient treatments to assist people give up.”.
Previously this year, researchers at the University of Bath were awarded ₤ 1.3 million to establish a portable device that might be used to offer on-the-spot readings for the spice.
Referral: “Clinical withdrawal symptom profile of artificial cannabinoid receptor agonists and contrast of results with high effectiveness marijuana” by Sam Craft, Jason A. Ferris, Monica J. Barratt, Larissa J. Maier, Michael T. Lynskey, Adam R. Winstock and Tom P. Freeman, 17 September 2021, Psychopharmacology.DOI: 10.1007/ s00213-021-05945-1.