‘Synthetic cannabis’: A new front in the war against drugs

The medicinal and recreational consumption of cannabis is increasingly becoming legalised in many countries across the world. Against this shift is the growing issue of “synthetic cannabis”, which is known to sneak past law enforcement and go undetected in drug tests. Some versions are found to have more potent side effects than naturally cultivated cannabis.

The movement to legalise medical and recreational cannabis in some countries could favour a change in attitudes toward its consumption overseas. Professor Eric Chan, a pharmaceutical scientist from the Department of Pharmacy under NUS Faculty of Science, comments on the need to go beyond policies and legislation to educate young people to understand the dangers and risks of consuming cannabis and its synthetic variants. 

Prof Chan is also the chair of the Department Postgraduate Committee and a registered pharmacist under the Ministry of Health. 

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