Opioid, cannabinoid, cocaine and methamphetamine epidemics. History, risk factors associated with them and characteristics of drugs action

It is shown that in the last century mankind has made significant progress in the search and study of new pain-relieving drugs through the targeted synthesis of chemical analogs of natural opioids, cannabinoids, cocaine and amphetamines. Experience with the medical use of new synthetic opioids, cannabinoids and amphetamines has shown not only their high analgesic efficacy in disease, but also their high danger due to the risks of drug dependence and addiction that have caused drug epidemics. The history of relevant drug epidemics is described, and the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of the most dangerous drugs, as well as the risks associated with drug epidemics, are outlined. In particular, it is pointed out that the risk of drug dependence to opioids, cannabinoids, amphetamine and cocaine was not recognized until too late. The drug crisis was therefore initially largely iatrogenic in nature. In recent decades, however, controls on the prescription of narcotic drugs have tightened, so drug addiction as iatrogeny occurs less frequently. But criminal elements of society were able to establish clandestine production of drugs and their realization in the youth and LGBT community under the guise of new, fashionable designer drugs and devices for their use. Moreover, the new synthetic drugs differ from natural drugs in their stronger psychostimulant effects, their ability to cause addiction after the first use and their high risk of fatal poisoning. It has been reported that there are no approved drugs for the treatment of drug abusers of opioids, cannabinoids, amphetamines and cocaine. However, the development of specific vaccines for these drugs has begun in recent years. Active immunization of drug abusers with specially created vaccines is expected to assist doctors in treating drug abusers in the future.