Monitor on Psychology - October 2011 - (Page 23)

Corner ‘Spice’ and ‘K2’: New drugs of abuse now on the market Synthetic cannabinoids popularly marketed as “K2” and “Spice” are widely available at gas stations and convenience stores in many states, yet addictions researchers know almost nothing about the long-term consequences of using these drugs, according to Ryan Vandrey, PhD, a marijuana researcher at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The products are commonly marketed as incense and labeled “not for human consumption” on the packaging, but buyers smoke the products like marijuana, Vandrey said during a presentation at APA’s 2011 Annual Convention. The drugs are made by spraying synthetic cannabinoids on ground-up plant material. Spice and K2 are the most popular brands, but dozens more are on the market, he said. “These products are used as an alternative to smoking marijuana, especially among people subject to routine drug testing,” Vandrey said. In one clue to the substance’s increasing prevalence, poison control centers reported 13 calls referencing the products in 2009. In the first seven months of this year, that number had already reached 3,787, he said. “Is overdose more likely with these substances, or are they more dangerous than marijuana? We really don’t know,” he said. The Drug Enforcement Administration listed five synthetic cannabinoid compounds commonly used in these drugs on the federal schedule of controlled dangerous substances in March, but manufacturers continue marketing the product using synthetic cannabinoid variations not yet scheduled by the DEA, he said. In an online survey Vandrey conducted, published online in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence in August, he found that 87 percent of 168 users reported they obtained the drug legally, through gas stations, head shops and convenience stores; just 2 percent said they got it illicitly by going to a drug dealer who sells other illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and heroin. About 15 percent reported using the substance daily and 12 percent of respondents met the dependence criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), he said. Regular users reported an average of 67 uses in the past year, he said. While some states have banned K2 and Spice, users can also order the products online. Some online suppliers will not ship the products to buyers in states that have banned the products, while others will, Vandrey said. —C. MUNSEY OCTOBER 2011 • MONITOR ON PSYCHOLOGY CLINICIAN’s The APA Office of Continuing Education in Psychology is now webcasting its Clinician’s Corner workshops nationally on a LIVE basis! These 3-hour workshops bring leading practitioners and scholars right to your doorstep. Attend these interactive workshops either on-site in the APA building or online through a LIVE webcast. All workshops include CE credits. OctOber 28, 2011 1:00–4:00 p.m. CE CrEdITs: 3 Ethics of Trauma Treatment Presenter: Christine Courtois, PhD Enrollment fees for on-site workshop or LIVE webcast: APA Members Nonmembers $55 $70 enrOllment infOrmatiOn For on-site workshop (APA building, 750 First Street, NE, Washington DC) Call 1-800-374-2721, ext. 5991 For LIVE webcast (1:00–4:00 p.m. EST) Go to http://apa.bizvision.com/ category/clinician-corner-workshop Visit www.apa.org/ed/ce/resources /clinician-corner.aspx for more information. AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION 750 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20002– 4242 23 http://apa.bizvision.com/category/clinician-corner-workshop http://apa.bizvision.com/category/clinician-corner-workshop http://www.apa.org/ed/ce/resources/clinican-corner.aspx http://www.apa.org/ed/ce/resources/clinican-corner.aspx http://apa.bizvision.com/category/clinician-corner-workshop

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Monitor on Psychology - October 2011

Monitor on Psychology - October 2011
President’s Column
Subtle and stunning slights
Contents
From the CEO
Live science on the showroom floor
Zimbardo re-examines his landmark study
Ready, set, mentor
Attention students and ECPs: Self-care is an ‘ethical imperative’
Suicide risk is high among war veterans in college, study finds
Psychotherapy is effective and here’s why
From toilet to tap: getting people to drink recycled water
What’s ahead for psychology practice?
A push for more accountability is changing the accreditation process
Peer, parental support prove key to fighting childhood obesity
Popular media’s message to girls
Bullying may contribute to lower test scores
A consequence of cuckoldry: More (and better) sex?
Manatees’ exquisite sense of touch may lead them into dangerous waters
Building a better tomato
How will China’s only children care for their aging parents?
‘Spice’ and ‘K2’: New drugs of abuse now on the market
Many suspects don’t understand their right to remain silent
In Brief
Boosting minority achievement
Where’s the progress?
And social justice for all
Helping new Americans find their way
Segregation’s ongoing legacy
A new way to combat prejudice
Retraining the biased brain
Suppressing the ‘white bears’
How to eat better — mindlessly
Protect your aging brain
Must babies always breed marital discontent?
Outing addiction
Flourish 2051
The danger of stimulants
Keys to making integrated care work
Is technology ruining our kids?
Facebook: Friend or foe?
The promise of Web 3.0
NIMH invests in IT enhanced interventions
Science Directions
Science Directions
PsycAdvocates work to safeguard key programs
The psychology of spending cuts
APA’s strategic plan goes live
Visionary leaders
Bravo!
Vote on bylaws amendments

Monitor on Psychology - October 2011