Researchers are using liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to identify and characterize metabolites of synthetic cannabinoids (SCBs). A better understanding of how metabolic pathways transform synthetic cannabinoids can provide information needed to develop new treatments to counteract the drug's effects. Credit: Anna Radominska-Pandya, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Synthetic cannabinoid abuse is a growing problem in the United States, with new versions of the drugs coming on the market every year. New research is examining how the body processes these man-made drugs and the role that genetics might play in their metabolism.