Unraveling Synthetic Cannabinoids and Bath Salts: A Law Enforcement Perspective

1. Synthetic Cannabinoids and Bath Salts Seth Cooper Jason Kennedy Kansas City Police Crimelab

2. A Brief History • Synthetic Cannabinoids and Bath Salts have become one of the biggest challenges facing law enforcement and other disciplines within the last five years • These drugs are synthesized in an attempt to mimic the effects of controlled substances • Both synthetic cannabinoids and bath salts can trace their origins to “legitimate” research • Many of the synthetic cannabinoids come from the research of John W. Huffman out of Clemson University (JWH Compounds) • The research of David Nichols out of Purdue University has yielded several MDMA and LSD-like compounds that have shown up in street drug samples

3. OG K2 • Original synthetic cannabinoids contained JWH-018: • This became the “base” in which to modify and/or to add a variety of functional groups

4. JWH-018 • Chemical name = 1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole • Structure composed of three “components”: Indole Side Chain Naphthalene

5. Modification of structure • First place attacked was side chain: • JWH-073 JWH-019 • Length • JWH-200 AM-2201 • Functional • Groups

6. Further Modification • Modifications were made to other portions of the structure: • JWH-203 JWH-081 JWH-210

7. Complex Modifications • In an attempt to stay ahead of legislation, continually more complex structural modifications have been popping up: • XLR11 AKB48

8. Bath Salts • Originally appeared as substituted cathinones: • More substitutions have been seen as well as complete deviation to other substances that have similar effects

9. Pharmacology • Most of the information for pharmacology of synthetic cannabinoids and bath salts comes from legitimate research • Most of this is based on tests performed on mice and rats • More information is available for synthetic cannabinoids than bath salts • Most of the compounds found in “K2” samples are cannabinoid receptor agonists • Cannabinoid receptor agonists target the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the brain • Potency of synthetic cannabinoids is commonly described using a Ki value: • THC Ki = 10.2 • HU-210 Ki = 0.06 • JWH-018 Ki = 2.9 • JWH-081 Ki = 1.2 • JWH-122 Ki = 0.69 • JWH-210 Ki = 0.46

10. Pharmacology (cont.) • Bath Salts • Most compounds are substituted cathinones and have stimulant effects • Some of these compounds also have hallucinogenic effects • Substituted cathinones believed to be less potent MMC MDMC Methamphetamine MDMA (Ecstasy)

11. Legislation – Synthetic Cannabinoids • Originally tried to control individual compounds • JWH-018, JWH-073, HU-210, CP 47.497 • Slowly added more as they were seen • Constantly playing catch-up • Class Approach • Naphthoylindoles and naphthylmethylindoles (JWH-018, JWH-073, AM2201) • Naphthoylpyrroles (JWH-307) • Naphthylmethylindenes (JWH-176) • Phenylacetylindoles (JWH-201, JWH-203, JWH-250, RCS-8) • Cyclohexylphenols (CP 47,497) • Benzoylindoles (AM-694, RCS-4)

12. Legislation – alternative approaches • Missouri statutes (195-010) • A “Controlled Substance Analog” is also controlled • What does this mean? • Chemists have been educated on what determines whether one substance is an analog of another • The statutes have their own definition

13. Scientific Definition of Analog • Analog • Structural Analog - a compound having a structure similar to that of another one, but differing from it in respect of a certain component. It can differ in one or more atoms, functional groups, or substructures, which are replaced with other atoms, groups, or substructures Methane Silane • Functional Analog – a compound having similar physical, chemical, biochemical, or pharmacological properties JWH-019 AM-2201

14. Legislation – alternative approaches • Missouri statutes (195-010) • Analog • Any new substance can be considered a controlled “analog” if: • It has a substantially similar structure to a Schedule I or II hallucinogen, stimulant, or opiate, AND, • It has the same CNS effects as the related Schedule I or II hallucinogen, stimulant, or opiate, OR, • It was possessed or sold with the knowledge of being an analog

15. Legislation – alternative approaches • Missouri Statutes (195-010) • Anything falling under the definition of “Synthetic Cannabinoid” is also controlled • “Synthetic Cannabinoid” is defined as: • "any natural or synthetic material, compound, mixture, or preparation that contains any quantity of a substance that is a cannabinoid receptor agonist…”

16. Legislation – Bath Salts • Currently individual compounds are controlled: • 3-Fluoromethcathinone, 4-Fluoromethcathinone • 4-Methylmethcathinone (Mephederone) • 4-Methoxymethcathinone • Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) • 3,4-Methylenedioxymethcathinone (MDMC) • 4-Methyl-alpha-pyrrolidinobutiophenone (MPBP) • These compounds have been further modified and seen in street samples: • 4-Ethylmethcathinone • 4-Methylethcathinone • 3,4-Methylenedioxyethylcathinone (Ethylone) • Butylone • Pentedrone • Naphyrone

17. It’s there! • Most of synthetic drug compounds are covered under Missouri statutes in one way or another • They may be specifically listed – not likely for the newer compounds • They may be covered in a class of compounds • They may fall under the definition of “Synthetic Cannabinoid” • They may be an analog of a controlled substance • This controlled substance may be listed specifically or may also be covered in a class of compounds • Controlled substance must be a Schedule I or Schedule II controlled substance

18. It’s not going to be easy! • Synthetic drugs make everyone’s job harder • What products do I recover? • How do I analyze these samples? • How do I file this case? • Who do I get to testify at trial? • How can I present this information at trial so that the jury will understand it?

19. Is it worth it? • If marijuana is being made legal, why try to control synthetic marijuana? • Some of these compounds are much more potent than THC • There is no research on long-term effects • There is no quality control on what is being sold • The means are currently available to penalize the people responsible for the manufacturing and sale of these dangerous drugs • Precedence only takes one successful prosecution “a legal high does not equal a safe high -- it just means it's not illegal yet." -David Nichols

20. Questions?