Synthetic cathinones (bath salts): legal status and patterns of abuse.

Objective: To review the current legal status and patterns of abuse of bath salts.

Data Sources: A literature search was conducted through MEDLINE (1950-December 2011), PubMed (1966-December 2011), EMBASE (1966-December 2011), and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-December 2011) using the search terms bath salts, mephedrone, and methylenedioxypyrovalerone to identify articles on the legal status of bath salts and on studies focusing on patterns of abuse of bath salts. The GovTrack.

Attitudes of Florida pharmacists toward implementing a state prescription drug monitoring program for controlled substances.

Background: As of May 23, 2011, 35 states had an operational prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP), and 13 additional states, including Florida in 2009, had passed legislation to implement a PDMP. PDMPs, electronic databases that collect and track designated data on controlled substances and other commonly abused medications, are intended to serve as a tool for health care practitioners when prescribing and dispensing controlled substances to reduce drug abuse and diversion. In an analysis of 1,268 drug-caused deaths from January through June 2010 in Florida, the top 3 prescription drugs included the controlled substances oxycodone (56%), alprazolam (35%), and methadone (26%), all of which would be subject to reporting in Florida's PDMP when implemented.

Carisoprodol legal status and patterns of abuse.

Objective: To review the current legal status and patterns of abuse of carisoprodol.

Data Sources: A literature search was conducted through MEDLINE (1950-August 2010), PubMed (1966-August 2010), EMBASE (1966-August 2010), and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-August 2010) using the search terms carisoprodol and abuse. In addition, reference citations from publications identified were reviewed.

Medical marijuana and the developing role of the pharmacist.

Purpose: The pharmacology, therapeutic uses, safety, drug-drug interactions, and drug-disease interactions of medical marijuana are reviewed, and the legal issues related to its use and the implications of medical marijuana for the pharmacist are presented.

Summary: Marijuana contains more than 460 active chemicals and over 60 unique cannabinoids. The legal landscape surrounding marijuana is surprisingly complex and unsettled.