"The term “designer drugs” was originally introduced to describe novel substances that are derived from clandestine alterations of well-known drugs of abuse, preserving or enhancing pharmacologic effects while remaining outside of legal control (Jerrard 1990). The term is currently applied more widely to include substances that originate from industrial or academic research but never receive medical approval. Some substances that are referred to as designer drugs may be medically approved in different countries, thus not fitting the classic definition of a designer drug (Bäckberg et al. 2019; Manchester et al. 2018; Owen et al. 2016; Zawilska and Wojcieszak 2019). The Internet plays a crucial role in the distribution of designer drugs and in the acquisition of information about them (Miliano et al. 2018). The number of available designer drugs is constantly growing, and trends and patterns of use change over time. This poses a challenge to drug-regulatory authorities and can jeopardize public health. Designer drugs can generally be divided into the same categories as traditional drugs of abuse, namely stimulants, sedatives, dissociatives, cannabinoids, and psychedelics. However, in contrast to traditional drugs of abuse, newly emerging drugs can remain undetected by routine drug screening, and information about associated adverse effects is often scarce. Knowledge of the mechanism of action and potential clinical complications of designer drugs is key for healthcare workers who treat intoxicated patients."
Luethi, D., Liechti, M.E. Designer drugs: mechanism of action and adverse effects. Arch Toxicol 94, 1085–1133 (2020). doi.org/10.1007/s00204-020-02693-7.
