Smart Drugs II ed. English Edition

The terminology “Smart-Drugs“ includes all legal compounds of natural or synthetic origin, not prohibited by various drug laws in different countries. The drugs may contain active compounds with known or presumed psychoactive properties. The definition of “Smart Drugs“ is changing continuously, not only by including different types of substances that fall into this category, but also from a conceptual and cultural point of view.

There is no unique terminology for the term “Smart Drugs” because they can refer simultaneously to plant drugs, ethnic drugs, ethnobotanical drugs, natural drugs, biodrugs, etc. For some people, the term “Smart Drug” indicates a series of energy drinks or stimulating pills (which attempt to simulate the effect of “ecstasy”) which guarantee stimulating effects while remaining within legality (caffeine, ginseng, etc..): they are proposed and consumed especially in youth circles (clubs, raves etc...).

In this II edition, six new “Smart Drugs” have been added and the monographs of the old ones have been updated with new information concerning legislation, pharmacological properties and analytical methodologies for determination of active principles in biological fluids of eventual consumers, or in the plant parts. Special attention has been paid to “Spice”, mixtures of different “Smart Drugs”, which have aroused the interest for the pharmacological and toxicological actions due to the presence of several products of plant origin and synthetic substances with effects similar to those of cannabis.