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This article aims to discuss the results on prevalence, patterns of use and motivations for the use of legal high products/new psychoactive substances (NPS) and possible consequences for drug policy.

The main results are derived from a non‐representative quantitative online survey in Germany, focused on persons with experience in legal highs use.

The general prevalence of legal highs varies considerably in different European countries; generally, it is much lower than the lifetime prevalence of illicit drugs. Almost every legal highs user has experience in the use of illicit drugs. Several types of (repeated) users can be identified. “Herbal incense” products are used by many persons in order to compensate for a limited availability of cannabis or to remain inconspicuous for law enforcement. Current research chemicals (RC) users are mainly experienced drug users who seek to expand the range of drugs being consumed with RCs. Repressive drug policy approaches seem to contribute to the use of legal highs as replacement drugs.

Given that many NPS show side effects that are at least as serious as those associated with illicit drugs, and that long‐time risks are unpredictable, repressive drug policy enforcement may lead to increased public health risks regarding drug users.

The survey is the first published quantitative survey focusing on legal highs users. The results have not been published in English yet.

The purpose of this paper is to provide health professionals with novel psychoactive substances (NPS) clients with up to date information relating to the background, clinical pharmacology and, when possible, clinical management for each of these categories.

The world of NPS is complex and diverse, including a range of different molecules such as: psychedelic phenethylamines; synthetic cannabinoids, cathinone derivatives; novel stimulants; synthetic opiates/opioids; tryptamine derivatives; phencyclidine-like dissociatives; piperazines; GABA-A/GABA-B receptor agonists; a range of prescribing medications; psychactive plants/herbs; and a large series of performance and image-enhancing drugs. These molecules are sought by users for their psychactive effects.

The NPS categorization and classification provided here is an attempt to identify and better understand some of these substances. Given the vast range of medical and psychopathological issues associated with the NPS described it is crucial for health professionals to be aware of the effects and toxicity of NPS. The EU-MADNESS project aims to both better understand the pharmacology of the available/forthcoming NPS and to disseminate the most current NPS-related information to practising and training health professionals.

Further studies are required to identify a range of evidence-based, NPS-focused, clinical management and treatment strategies.

The rapid pace of change in the NPS online market constitutes a major challenge to the provision of current and reliable scientific knowledge on these substances.

The present review will provide an overview of the clinical and pharmacological issues related to a few hundred NPS.

Drug-related web forums have been argued to be an effective way to investigate the latest generation of drug users. The purpose of this paper is to explore discussions about drugs and new psychoactive substances (NPS) on an Italian psychonauts’ online community in order to gain a better understanding of the psychonauts’ profiles by scrutinising their main motives for consumption, which is mainly addressed to psychedelic drugs.

To collect data, a keywords list was used in the forum search engine. The first five most recent conversations (threads) for each of ten most frequently mentioned substances were selected. In addition, ten posts written by new forum members to introduce themselves were added to the data set, bringing the total number of threads to 60. The data were coded using Atlas.ti 7 applying a template model analysis (King, 1998).

The forum members present themselves as well-educated, informed drug users, and connoisseurs of the pharmacological properties of chemical compounds: accordingly, they claim to be aware of drug effects and possible risks. The analysis of the motives for using psychedelic drugs substantially confirms previous studies, indicating that the main reasons include spiritual needs, self-exploration and self-treatment. The shift from a recreational use towards more “committed” aims such as self-development is seen as a step forward in a drug user’s career. A generalised interest in harm reduction suggests that the psychonauts’ attitude may be a protective factor against adverse consequences of drug use. The most problematic users represented in the data are those who use drugs for self-treatment, since their discourse focusses on suffering rather than on pleasure.

Most efforts to analyse and monitor drug-related forums have focussed on “leading edge” English-language international websites. No studies have dealt with Italian forums. Furthermore the study address a misleading use of the term e-psychonauts recently introduced by some scholars whose’s studies were focussed on NPS.

The purpose of this article was to study the influence of oyster mushroom powder (Pleurotus ostreatus) as a partial substitute for sodium pyrophosphate in frankfurters made from red tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) fillets.

This study looks at adding oyster mushroom powder (OMP) to the emulsion at concentrations of 0, 0.075, 0.150, 0.225 and 0.300% (p/p) in combination with sodium pyrophosphate (PS), which was added at concentrations of 0.225, 0.150, 0.075 and 0%, respectively. A sausage with only sodium pyrophosphate added was evaluated as the control sample. The proximal chemical composition, physicochemical parameters, color, texture, lipid oxidation and sensory characteristics were determined for each treatment.

The results revealed that adding OMP up to 0.150% (w/w) provided the best conditions for the sausages in terms of pH, lipid oxidation, moisture retention capacity and cooking losses. In addition, the characteristics of texture and color, as well as the sensory evaluation, showed the best values for this OMP and SP ratio, meaning a substitution of sodium pyrophosphate with oyster mushroom powder at this concentration is suitable.

This paper discusses the beneficial properties of oyster mushroom powder, thereby showing potential for the establishment of health-promoting effects of the fish sausages.

Differences in the laws and regulations with respect to basic materials, optional ingredients and food additives authorised in ice‐cream manufacture in the EC members states were studied. No substantial differences exist regarding most of the basic materials. However, there are differences in certain of these materials, e.g. non‐milk fats, skimmed milk powder or sweetners other than sucrose. More differences exist among the optional ingredients and food additives. Most of the food additives authorised by each state ae in the list of additives approved by the EC Council. Compositional requirements for different ice‐cream types were also studied.

This study aims to investigate the appeal of “natural” labeling and builds on past research which suggests that people may have a naïve pastoral view of nature and natural entities. “Natural” labeling is pervasive in supermarkets across the USA.

This paper employs a multi-method approach to examine consumer perceptions and beliefs about products labeled “natural”. Qualitative responses are solicited to examine the images and feelings that come to mind when consumers see “natural” labeling on a food product. Two experiments are conducted to examine consumers’ evaluations of “natural” labeling on both food and supplement products.

The results of three studies suggest that “natural” labeling evokes positive feelings and sentimental imagery associated with a pastoral view of nature. These perceptions reinforce beliefs that food and supplement products labeled “natural” possess positive instrumental benefits such as health advantages, lack of contamination and safety.

Consumers are under pressure to make better choices regarding what they put into their bodies due to pervasive concern over the prevalence of obesity and diabetes. This study provides insight into why consumers perceive food and supplement products labeled “natural” as better alternatives.

This paper is one of the first studies to investigate the underlying perceptual forces accounting for the effectiveness of “natural” food and supplement labeling.

Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) – often known as “legal highs” – are a varied group of substances that are causing concern due to their possible effects on mental health. Particular concerns have been raised about synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists often known as “Spice”. The purpose of this paper is to identify the prevalence of NPS use and explore any association with acute psychological disturbance.

The authors reviewed the case notes for 153 admissions to a male acute inpatient ward. Prevalence of reported NPS use and admissions to psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) were recorded.

In total, 18.9 per cent of individuals admitted to acute inpatient care were reported to have used NPS. NPS users were almost ten times as likely as their non-NPS using peers to require care in PICU. This result was statistically significant (Fisher exact test: p<0.001). Although caution is required given the limitations of this study, the data and clinical experience suggest that synthetic cannabinoids may be the specific type of NPS that is being used by this group.

Mental health professionals can expect to care for people using NPS in acute inpatient environments, and so they need to understand the nature and effects of these substances. It is possible that NPS use may be associated with sustained acute psychological disturbance.

There have been few studies on the prevalence of NPS use in inpatient environments and none of them have published that explore the association with PICU admission. Despite the limitations of this study, it has significant value by identifying an urgent need for comprehensive research in this area.

Therapeutic communities (TCs) are one of the existent social responses in helping drug users overcome addiction and pursue social reintegration. The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss the general characteristics of about 200 drug users and their addiction and those of addicts abroad treated in a TC and clinically discharged. The analysis now presented is the first empirical approach to capture social regularities and singularities that are present in these individuals’ reintegration strategies.

The data have a ten-year range – from 1999 to 2009 – and were statically analysed.

They show a group of individuals with low qualifications reflected in their professional occupation, from which family is an essential support. These data also show a significant prevalence of heroin, alcohol, cocaine and polydrug uses, highlighting the need to consider new use patterns and new synthetic substances.

TC have been little studied, mainly in Portugal.

THE term synthetic rubber is strictly related only to a product which is physically and chemically indistinguishable from natural rubber; no material has been developed fitting such a definition and synthetic substances which possess properties approximating to those of the natural product are generally regarded as synthetic rubbers. More exact definition has been attempted by many authors in particular to so‐regard only those products which are capable of vulcanization, thus turning from plastic to clastic bodies. No new word describing the synthetic bodies has been accepted and it will now prove difficult to divorce the term “synthetic rubber” from any material showing reasonably comparable properties with natural rubber.

The growing range of EEC Directives and Regulations for food products, some of which have never been subject to statutory control in this country, with compositional standards, and in particular, prescribed methods of analysis — something which has not featured in the food legislative policies here — must be causing enforcement authorities and food processors to think seriously, if as yet not furiously. Some of the prescribed methods of analysis are likely to be less adaptable to modern processing methods of foods and as Directives seem to be requiring more routine testing, there is the matter of cost. Directive requirements are to some extent negotiable — the EEC Commission allow for regional differences, e.g., in milk and bread — but it has to be remembered that EEC Regulations bind Member‐states from the date of notification by the Commission, over‐riding the national law. Although not so frequently used for food legislation, they constitute one of the losses of sovereign power, paraded by the anti‐market lobby. Regulations contain usual clauses that they “shall enter into force on the day following publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities” and that they “shall be binding in their entirety and directly applicable in all Member States”.