Drug misuse

While misuse of traditional drugs remains common the emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS) has changed the landscape of drug misuse. Though hundreds of NPS have been identified, opioids still dominate mortality. Clinically the exact substances causing toxicity are often unknown on presentation so management is based on recognition of the drug group involved by identification of the clinical toxidrome. Depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, cannabinoids and dissociatives represent the most frequently identified drug toxidromes.