Synthetic Cannabinoids
and Bath Salts
Seth Cooper
Jason Kennedy
Kansas City Police Crimelab
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
OG K2
 Original synthetic cannabinoids contained JWH-018:
O
N
CH3
 This became the “base” in which to modify and/or to add a variety of
functional groups
JWH-018
 Chemical name = 1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole
 Structure composed of three “components”:
Indole
O
Side Chain
N
CH3
Naphthalene
Modification of structure
 First place attacked was side chain:
JWH-073
JWH-019
JWH-200
AM-2201
Length
Functional
Groups
Further Modification
 Modifications were made to other portions of the structure:
JWH-203
JWH-081
JWH-210
Complex Modifications
 In an attempt to stay ahead of legislation, continually more complex
structural modifications have been popping up:
XLR11
AKB48
Bath Salts
 Originally appeared as substituted cathinones:
HN
HN
Methcathinone
(Ephedrone)
4-Methylmethcathinone
(Mephedrone)
HN
F
4-Fluoromethcathinone
(Flephedrone)
O
O
O
HN
NH2
O
O
O
O
NH2
4-Methylethcathinone
Cathinone
4-methoxymethcathinone
Methedrone
O
O
O
O
Butylone
O
O
O
O
HN
O
N
HN
3,4-Methylenedioxymethcathinone
(Methylone)
3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone
(MDPV)
 More substitutions have been seen as well as complete deviation to other
substances that have similar effects
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
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
Methamphetamine
MDMC
MDMA (Ecstasy)
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)
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
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
O
JWH-019
O
AM-2201
N
CH3
N
F
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
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…”
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
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
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?
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
Questions?