U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

​Synthetic Cannabinoids are Recurring Chemical Threats

NCJ Number
310878
Author(s)
Brian F. Thomas; Jenny L. Wiley; Gregory W. Endres
Date Published
October 2025
Abstract

Synthetic cannabinoids are a class of drugs designed to have similar structures and biological activities as the psychoactive components in cannabis. This encompasses a wide range of structural variants, and their potencies and toxicities are not fully understood. This trade publication piece summarizes the history of synthetic cannabinoids and highlights the ongoing challenge they present to public health and interdiction efforts.