title: [Current situation and issues for analyzing illegal drug products].
abstract: Thirty-two psychotropic substances (31 compounds and one plant) have been controlled as designated substances (Shitei-yakubutsu) in Japan by the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law since April 2007. Although the trafficking of these drugs has decreased because of this regulation, new designer drugs (synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones) have appeared, one after the other. As of October 2011, 40 compounds had been newly added to this category. Analytical methods have become more complicated due to this increase in the number of designated substances. Moreover, many reference substances for such designated substances and other new designer drugs are not commercially available. For the reasons stated above, a lot of time and effort is required to analyze the illegal drug products available on the market.
authors.affiliation: Chiba Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Japan. t.hsgw20@pref.chiba.lg.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Kazunaga
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saijo
authors.forename: Tomohide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukiwake
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Motoki
mesh_terms: D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000032:analysis*; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000032:analysis* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D007564:Japan; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000032:analysis*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D015198:Designer Drugs; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs