The salt of death instead of the salt of life
“In recent years, there has been an improvement in all indicators of drug abuse. People actually began to drink less alcohol, and the consumption of “traditional” drugs is also decreasing, ”says Tatyana Klimenko , MD, professor, director of the National Scientific Center for Narcology . – But at the same time, there has been an increase in psychosis related to drugs. How to explain this contradiction? It’s all about new synthetic drugs.
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They are usually used in two forms – smoking blends and so-called salts. All narcotic effects of smoking mixtures are associated with synthetic cannabinoids that make up their composition . They are synthetic analogs of plant cannabinoids (marijuana, hashish, anasha ), but dependency very quickly forms on them, and as a result of their intake, severe psychotic states with delusions and hallucinations often develop .
The main active substance of “salts” is synthetic cathinones . There are a huge number of their varieties. As with synthetic cannabinoids , dependence on them is often formed after the first use. They are also known for the fact that they can cause severe psychoses with gross psychomotor agitation, aggressively-cynical sexual disinhibition. In some cases, in a state of psychosis, people undress naked and in this form run around the street. In connection with severe cardiovascular disorders such psychoses often ends in death.
As an example, I want to recall that in 2014 in the Kirov region, and then in Surgut, there were massive poisonings with such drugs. Then nearly one and a half thousand people were seriously injured, they needed medical help, about a quarter of them died. ”
Addicts are also new
Synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones are commonly called designer drugs. Chemists create them based on previously known narcotic substances. Very quickly, these substances became popular throughout the world. How to explain this phenomenon? “I think this is due to very effective marketing, ” continues T. Klimenko. – Of widespread importance is the widespread false opinion that there is no legislative prohibition on the circulation of such substances.
It is interesting that among the users of new drugs, not only adolescents and young people, but also sometimes middle-aged people (30–40 years old). Among them, there are often those who, precisely with new drugs, begin their journey into the “drug abyss”. This once again emphasizes that their marketing is very skillful. After all, what else can make such people try drugs?
In recent years , a very effective anti-drug policy has been carried out in our country, orienting the population to a healthy lifestyle, and as a result of it , reducing the overall incidence of drug addiction disorders. But all state anti-drug propaganda is carried out through traditional information channels (television, print, radio), and new drugs are distributed via the Internet. Therefore, the paramount task of the modern system for the prevention of non-medical drug use is to disseminate anti-drug propaganda on the Internet and translate it into the language of Web users. ”
Fighting new drugs is especially difficult not only because their designers are ahead of lawmakers. The Internet has allowed the creation of a new system of their sales through bookmarks. The consumer places an order and pays online. The dealer, having received the money, carries out the laying of the dose of the drug in a place known only to him alone. Then he informs the consumer about it, and he, having come to a secret place, finds his coveted chemical.
In such an open chain, no one meets anyone. As a result, it is extremely difficult to catch the distributors of narcotic drugs in the act.