NCSA: Synthetic drugs a growing challenge for healthcare workers

Synthetic drugs that can evade standard hospital tests are posing growing challenges for healthcare workers, the National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) warned on Tuesday.

The profile of illicit drug use on the island has changed with synthetic drugs and chemically modified cannabinoids requiring greater vigilance from medical professionals, said NCSA research and information officer Laura Lee Foster.

She told a workshop for doctors, nurses and allied health professionals of a rapid shift from traditional illicit substances to synthetic alternatives that are harder to detect, manage and regulate.