58% of Frequent Synthetic Cannabinoid Users Were Classified as Dependent
Among 105 frequent legal high users recruited outside licensed stores in Auckland, 80% used synthetic cannabinoids, 47% used daily or more, and 58% met criteria for dependence, with high rates of insomnia, nausea, agitation, and anxiety.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Researchers recruited 105 frequent legal high users from outside randomly selected licensed legal high stores in central Auckland during a period when synthetic cannabinoids were sold legally in New Zealand.
Eighty percent used synthetic cannabinoids (SC), and use was intensive: 47% of SC users consumed daily or more. A striking 58% of SC users were classified as dependent. Twenty-seven percent reported a lifetime history of mental illness.
The most commonly reported problems from SC use were insomnia (29%), nausea/vomiting (25%), short temper/agitation (21%), anxiety (21%), strange thoughts (16%), and heart palpitations (14%).
Despite these problems, health service utilization was low: only 9% had seen a doctor about SC use, 3% called an ambulance, and 3% visited an emergency department. Most SC users also used other substances, including alcohol (80%), cannabis (59%), ecstasy (18%), and methamphetamine (15%).
Key Numbers
105 participants. 80% used SC. 47% used SC daily+. 58% of SC users met dependence criteria. 27% had lifetime mental illness. 59% also used cannabis. Health service use: 9% GP, 3% ambulance, 3% ED, 3% hospitalization.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional survey of frequent legal high users (monthly or more) recruited from outside 8 randomly selected licensed legal high stores in central Auckland, April-May 2014. 105 completed an online survey assessing use patterns, health problems, and healthcare utilization.
Why This Research Matters
This study captures a population using synthetic cannabinoids during a brief period of legal regulated sale. The 58% dependence rate is alarming and higher than typical cannabis dependence rates, supporting the argument that synthetic cannabinoids have greater addiction potential than natural cannabis.
The Bigger Picture
New Zealand's experiment with regulated sale of synthetic cannabinoids provided a unique window into what happens when these products are legally available. The high dependence rate, significant health problems, and low health service engagement suggest that legal availability did not make these products safer or lead to better health outcomes for users.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Recruited outside legal high stores, which selects for frequent users and may overestimate dependence rates in the broader user population. Self-selected sample with potential bias. Small sample size. Cross-sectional design. The specific SC products available during this period may differ from products in other markets or time periods.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would the dependence rate be lower with regulated potency limits?
- ?Did the legal status of SC products delay help-seeking because users perceived them as safe?
- ?How do SC dependence rates compare to natural cannabis in population-based studies?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 58% of frequent synthetic cannabinoid users met criteria for dependence.
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary evidence from a small convenience sample recruited at point of purchase, limiting generalizability but providing insight into frequent user health outcomes.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2016. New Zealand has since ended legal sale of untested synthetic cannabinoids.
- Original Title:
- An exploratory study of the health harms and utilisation of health services of frequent legal high users under the interim regulated legal high market in central Auckland.
- Published In:
- The New Zealand medical journal, 129(1431), 51-8 (2016)
- Authors:
- Wilkins, Chris(6), Prasad, Jitesh(2), Wong, K C, Rychert, Marta, Graydon-Guy, Thomas
- Database ID:
- RTHC-01306
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Are synthetic cannabinoids addictive?
This study found that 58% of frequent synthetic cannabinoid users met criteria for dependence. This is substantially higher than the approximately 9% dependence rate seen with natural cannabis, suggesting synthetic cannabinoids have greater addiction potential.
What health problems do synthetic cannabinoids cause?
Common problems reported in this study included insomnia (29%), nausea/vomiting (25%), agitation (21%), anxiety (21%), strange thoughts (16%), and heart palpitations (14%). Despite these problems, very few users sought medical help.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-01306APA
Wilkins, Chris; Prasad, Jitesh; Wong, K C; Rychert, Marta; Graydon-Guy, Thomas. (2016). An exploratory study of the health harms and utilisation of health services of frequent legal high users under the interim regulated legal high market in central Auckland.. The New Zealand medical journal, 129(1431), 51-8.
MLA
Wilkins, Chris, et al. "An exploratory study of the health harms and utilisation of health services of frequent legal high users under the interim regulated legal high market in central Auckland.." The New Zealand medical journal, 2016.
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "An exploratory study of the health harms and utilisation of ..." RTHC-01306. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/wilkins-2016-an-exploratory-study-of
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.