title: Profiling online recreational/prescription drugs' customers and overview of drug vending virtual marketplaces.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Internet and social networking sites play a significant role in the marketing and distribution of recreational/prescription drugs without restrictions. We aimed here at reviewing data relating to the profile of the online drug customer and at describing drug vending websites.
  
  
  METHODS
  The PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases were searched here in order to elicit data on the socio-demographic characteristics of the recreational marketplaces/online pharmacies' customers and the determinants relating to online drug purchasing activities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Typical online recreational drugs' customers seem to be Caucasian, men, in their 20s, highly educated, and using the web to impact as minimally as possible on their existing work/professional status. Conversely, people without any health insurance seemed to look at the web as a source of more affordable prescription medicines. Drug vending websites are typically presented here with a "no prescription required" approach, together with aggressive marketing strategies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The online availability of recreational/prescriptions drugs remains a public health concern. A more precise understanding of online vending sites' customers may well facilitate the drafting and implementation of proper prevention campaigns aimed at counteracting the increasing levels of online drug acquisition and hence intake activities.
authors.affiliation: United Hospitals, Academic Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.|School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts, England.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6882-3770
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Orsolini
authors.affiliation: United Hospitals, Academic Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Francesconi
authors.affiliation: United Hospitals, Academic Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.|Medical School of Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Duccio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Papanti
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Surgery, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giorgetti
authors.affiliation: FRCPsych, Chair in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts, England.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schifano
mesh_terms: D016206:Databases, Bibliographic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000600:supply & distribution*
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D055553:Prescription Drugs
keywords: Internet; Psychonauts; drug misuse; novel psychoactive substances; online drugs; prescription drugs