A designer drug is a synthetic analog of a controlled substance that has been designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the original drug while avoiding classification as illegal and/or detection in standard drug tests. Designer drugs are produced by copying or changing parts of existing controlled substances to produce a drug with very different chemical structures that can cause a euphoric feeling or "high" and other side effects. They are made to make people feel differently about themselves and the world around them. The term "designer drug" was coined in the 1980s to refer to various synthetic opioid drugs, based mostly on the fentanyl molecule.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recognizes seven different types of designer drugs, including cannabinoids, phenethylamines, and synthetic cathinones. These drugs are developed to mimic the effects of drugs that are often notorious and banned. Most of them work a lot like cocaine or other stimulants, but one type of designer drug, cannabinoids, does something different. This drug mimics the action of marijuana, and it’s the most popular of the designer drugs, according to the DEA.
Designer drugs are produced in unlicensed laboratories that attempt to alter the chemical structure of a controlled substance to create a similar drug that is not controlled. Unlike other drugs made legally, many designer drugs are produced in unregulated labs, and one batch may turn out markedly different from another in content and effect. Because designer drugs are made by people who are not considering drug laws, government oversight, or quality control standards, the quality and strength of synthetic drugs are not constant. Designer drugs can be as dangerous and addictive as abused prescription drugs.
In conclusion, designer drugs are synthetic analogs of controlled substances that are designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the original drug while avoiding classification as illegal and/or detection in standard drug tests. They are produced by copying or changing parts of existing controlled substances to produce a drug with very different chemical structures that can cause a euphoric feeling or "high" and other side effects. Designer drugs are produced in unlicensed laboratories that attempt to alter the chemical structure of a controlled substance to create a similar drug that is not controlled. They can be as dangerous and addictive as abused prescription drugs.
