These substances are created with a very clear objective: to mimic the effects of other more better-known drugs, such as cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy (MDMA) or LSD, but slightly modifying their chemical structure to circumvent existing laws. The fact that they are “legal” may give a false sense of security, but nothing could be further from the truth: these substances have been little studied, and safety information about them is largely unknown. This phenomenon is difficult to control because it is constantly changing: when one substance is banned, several new substances are already ready to replace it. 

This article was originally published on The Conversation.