title: Implementation of the 2013 Psychoactive Substances Act and mental health harms from synthetic cannabinoids.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Use of synthetic cannabinoids is associated with a range of mental health harms. The 2013 Psychoactive Substances Act (PSA) was intended to limit retail availability of synthetic cannabinoids which had acceptable safety profiles. We evaluated numbers and clinical characteristics of patients presenting with mental health harms associated with use of synthetic cannabinoids for three months before and after implementation of the PSA on 18July 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective audit of case notes of patients presenting to an emergency psychiatric service (EPS) in Dunedin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the three months post-PSA, there was a 42% reduction in EPS contacts and 52% reduction in patient presentations, compared with the three months pre-PSA. Patient demographics (predominantly young males with prior contact with mental health services), presenting symptoms (mood and psychotic symptoms and suicidality), and management and disposition were identical in both periods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The decrease in mental health harms, as measured by frequency of EPS contacts, appeared to be due to reduced retail availability of synthetic cannabinoids rather that reduced toxicity of available products.
authors.affiliation: Hazel Buckland Chair of Psychological Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago, PO Box 913, Dunedin, New Zealand. paul.glue@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Glue
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Courts
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gale
authors.forename: Evan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004637:Emergency Services, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D009520:New Zealand; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D056737:Safety-Based Drug Withdrawals / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration
chemical_list: D002186:Cannabinoids; D015198:Designer Drugs; D007211:Indoles; D009281:Naphthalenes; C552597:1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole