20% of Synthetic Cannabinoid Users Among Police Detainees Reduced or Stopped Natural Cannabis Use
Among police detainees in New Zealand, 96% of legal high users had used synthetic cannabinoids, and 20% of those who also used natural cannabis reported reducing or stopping cannabis due to synthetic cannabinoid availability.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Researchers interviewed 848 police detainees about their drug use, with a focus on whether legal highs (primarily synthetic cannabinoids) substituted for illegal drugs.
Among legal high users, 96% had used synthetic cannabinoids (SC), and 94% of those reporting substitution had substituted natural cannabis. Overall, 20% of SC+cannabis users reported reducing or stopping cannabis, while only 6% reported using more cannabis.
However, the picture was complex. All SC users had higher baseline cannabis consumption regardless of substitution behavior. SC users who reported using more cannabis also used more methamphetamine and ecstasy, suggesting a polysubstance pattern rather than simple substitution.
SC users were more likely to have recently been in drug treatment, suggesting this population may have been seeking alternatives to manage use.
Key Numbers
848 detainees. 96% of LH users used synthetic cannabinoids. 94% of substituters replaced cannabis. 54% never used SC. 34% used SC without changing cannabis. 9% used SC and reduced/stopped cannabis. 3% used SC and increased cannabis.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional survey of 848 detainees at four central police stations in New Zealand. Detainees were interviewed about drug and legal high use and asked what impact legal high use had on their other drug use. Groups were compared on demographics and substance use levels.
Why This Research Matters
The question of whether legal highs substitute for or complement illegal drug use has significant policy implications. A 20% reduction in cannabis use among SC users suggests modest substitution, but the finding that SC users consumed more cannabis overall complicates the harm reduction argument.
The Bigger Picture
The New Zealand experience with legal synthetic cannabinoids (before the Psychoactive Substances Act) offers a natural experiment on substitution effects. While some substitution occurred, synthetic cannabinoids brought their own health risks, and the net public health impact depends on the relative harms of natural versus synthetic cannabinoids.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Police detainee population is not representative of all drug users. Self-reported substitution behavior may not be reliable. The cross-sectional design cannot establish causation. The "legal" status of synthetic cannabinoids was specific to New Zealand's regulatory context at the time.
Questions This Raises
- ?Did the substitution of natural cannabis with synthetic cannabinoids result in more or less harm?
- ?Would legal cannabis reduce synthetic cannabinoid use?
- ?Do the health risks of synthetic cannabinoids outweigh any benefits from reduced natural cannabis use?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 20% of synthetic cannabinoid users reduced or stopped natural cannabis; 6% increased cannabis use.
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary evidence from a cross-sectional survey of a specific population (police detainees) with inherent selection bias.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2016. New Zealand has since reformed its synthetic cannabinoid regulations.
- Original Title:
- Do police arrestees substitute legal highs for other drugs?
- Published In:
- The International journal on drug policy, 31, 74-9 (2016)
- Authors:
- Wilkins, Chris(6), Parker, Karl(2), Prasad, Jitesh(2), Jawalkar, Sonie
- Database ID:
- RTHC-01305
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do synthetic cannabinoids replace natural cannabis?
In this study of police detainees, about 20% of people who used both synthetic and natural cannabis reported reducing or stopping natural cannabis. However, synthetic cannabinoid users consumed more cannabis overall, and 6% actually increased their cannabis use.
Is this substitution good or bad for health?
The study did not directly assess health outcomes. Synthetic cannabinoids are generally considered more dangerous than natural cannabis due to their higher potency and unpredictable effects, so substitution may increase rather than decrease overall harm.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-01305APA
Wilkins, Chris; Parker, Karl; Prasad, Jitesh; Jawalkar, Sonie. (2016). Do police arrestees substitute legal highs for other drugs?. The International journal on drug policy, 31, 74-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.01.006
MLA
Wilkins, Chris, et al. "Do police arrestees substitute legal highs for other drugs?." The International journal on drug policy, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.01.006
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Do police arrestees substitute legal highs for other drugs?" RTHC-01305. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/wilkins-2016-do-police-arrestees-substitute
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.