Cannabinoids: an exploratory review

Abstract

Since 2000, the synthetic cannabinoids drug market is in a continuous expansion and development. Unfortunately, addictive trends include not only the adult population but also adolescents. The new synthetic cannabinoids compounds have similar effects as the Cannabis plant, but are more potent and present a higher risk for consumers. Globally, the fight against drug production, distribution and use involves several directions, including the development of new analytical tools able to identify these new illicit substances. The aim of this paper is to present a systematic review regarding the class of cannabinoids in terms of their physico-chemical properties and biological effects.