Internet survey found 62 websites selling 128 brands of synthetic cannabinoid vaping products, easily accessible with bulk discounts | Research

The takeaway

A snapshot survey of the surface web found 62 websites selling 128 brands of synthetic cannabinoid vaping products, with misleading safety disclaimers, bulk discount incentives, and median prices of just 3.39 per mL.

Drug policy regulators considering online sales restrictions; emergency physicians recognizing vaping-related synthetic cannabinoid presentations.

128 SCRA vaping brands across 62 websites with bulk discounts

What the researchers found

62 websites sold 128 SCRA vaping brands. Most were purportedly US-based (66%). Purchase incentives included discreet packaging (61%), bulk discounts (55%), and tracked delivery (48%). Misleading disclaimers included "not for human consumption" (66%), "research purposes only" (24%), and claims products were "legal" (45%). 99.6% were liquid products. Price decreased with volume: 6.58/mL for small quantities, 1.60/mL for bulk.

Why it matters

Synthetic cannabinoid vaping products are easily accessible on the regular internet (not dark web), marketed with misleading safety claims, and available in bulk at low prices. This accessibility, combined with their extreme potency and toxicity, represents a public health concern.

The numbers in context

62 websites. 128 SCRA vaping brands. Median 16 brands per website. 99.6% liquid form. Most common bottle: 5 mL. Median price: 3.39/mL. Bulk pricing: 1.60/mL for >200 mL. 66% claimed "not for human consumption." 45% claimed products were "legal."

How the study worked

Internet snapshot survey using Google searches with five relevant search terms between October 2022 and January 2023. Products, pricing, branding, and disclaimers were catalogued from identified websites.

What this study cannot tell us

Snapshot from October 2022-January 2023; market may have changed. Could not verify product contents or actual SCRA concentrations. Focused on UK-accessible websites. Search terms may not capture all available products. Cannot determine actual sales volumes.

How to read the evidence

Systematic internet survey providing market landscape data, though product contents were not chemically verified.

When this study was published

2024 study

The bigger picture

The "not for human consumption" and "research purposes only" disclaimers are a known regulatory loophole that has persisted for years. The availability of bulk quantities at steep discounts suggests both individual and distribution-level purchasing.

Questions still open

What specific SCRAs are in these products? Are website claims about legality accurate? What proportion of ER visits for synthetic cannabinoid toxicity trace to online purchases?

Common questions

What are synthetic cannabinoids?

Lab-made chemicals that bind to the same brain receptors as THC but are often far more potent and unpredictable. They can cause seizures, psychosis, cardiovascular emergencies, and death. They are chemically distinct from plant cannabis.

How can these be sold legally?

Sellers exploit regulatory gaps by labeling products as "not for human consumption" or "research chemicals," rapidly changing chemical formulations to stay ahead of specific bans, and operating from jurisdictions with limited enforcement.

Read the original research

An Internet Snapshot Survey Assessing the sale of Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists for use with Electronic Vaping Devices.

Journal of medical toxicology : official journal of the American College of Medical Toxicology, 20(3), 271-277

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Gould, Allon; Dargan, Paul I; Wood, David M. (2024). An Internet Snapshot Survey Assessing the sale of Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists for use with Electronic Vaping Devices.. Journal of medical toxicology : official journal of the American College of Medical Toxicology, 20(3), 271-277. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13181-024-01013-0