Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-04T18:11:18.874Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Whack induced psychosis: A case series

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Emam El-Higaya*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University College Hospital, Galway, Ireland
Mohamed Ahmed
Affiliation:
Limerick Regional Hospital and Honorary Research Fellow, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
Brian Hallahan
Affiliation:
Roscommon County Hospital and Honorary Research Fellow, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
*
*Correspondence Email: [email protected]

Abstract

‘Whack’ is a new psychoactive substance available until recently in ‘head shops’. It contains two active constituents, 4-fluorotropacocaine and desoxypipradrol. We present two case reports of subjects who developed acute psychotic states after using Whack. Both individuals displayed similar affective and anxiety symptoms in the presence of significant psychotic symptoms. Both required inpatient treatment but displayed a good treatment response to atypical antipsychotic agents. To our knowledge, this is the first published case series relating to this psychoactive substance.

Type
Case report
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Long, J. Further update on psychoactive substances sold in head shops and on line. Alcohol and Drug Research Newsletter. 2010; 35, p. 1518. Available from: http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/13973/1/Drugnet_35_-_Draft_5_-_as_signed_off.pdfGoogle Scholar
2.Statutory Instruments. Misuse Of Drugs Act 1977 (Controlled Drugs) Order 2010. S.I. No. 199 of 2010.Google Scholar
3.Hough, J. Legal highs' drugs causing psychiatric illness epidemic, says A&E doctor. Irish Examiner 2010 Jan 13.Google Scholar
4.MacConnell, E. Ban head-shop ‘legal highs’, urges minister. Irish Independent. 2010 Jan 27.Google Scholar
5.Health Services Executive [internet]. Severe adverse reactions to new head shop drug “WHACK”. June 9, 2010 [cited 2010 Jul 17] HSE Press & Media. Available from: http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/newscentre/2010archive/june2010/whack.htmlGoogle Scholar
6.O'Halloran, M. Head shop products to require medicinal licence, says Harney. The Irish Times. 2010 Jun 23.Google Scholar
7.Irish Association of Emergency Medicine [internet] IAEM expresses concerns over emergence of new “Head Shop” products (including ‘Whack’) in spite of the recent ban [Press release]. June9, 2010 [cited 2010 Jul 17]. Available from: http://www.iaem.ie/images/stories/iaem/press/2010/iaem_press_release_expressing_concerns_over_new_head_shop_products_including_whack_160610.pdfGoogle Scholar
8.EMCDDA. Europol 2008 Annual Report on the implementation of Council Decision 2005/387/JHA. European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Lisbon; 2008.Google Scholar
9.Long, J. Update on psychoactive substances sold in head shops and on line. Alcohol and Drug Research Newsletter. 2010; 34, p.1520. Available from: http://www.hrb.ie/uploads/tx_hrbpublications/Drugnet_34_-published.pdfGoogle Scholar
10.Kavanagh, P, Spiers, P, O'Brien, J, McNamara, S, Angelov, D, Mullan, Det al. (2010) Head shop ‘legal highs’ active constituents identification chart (July-August 2010). Dublin: Department of Pharmacology, TCD. Available online at: http://www.medicine.tcd.ie/bulletin/oct-nov-2010/HS%20ID%20Poster%20511-714.pdfGoogle Scholar
11.Ferris, RM, Tang, FL, Maxwell, RA. A comparison of the capacities of isomers of amphetamine, deoxypipradrol and methylphenidate to inhibit the uptake of tritiated catecholamines into rat cerebral cortex slices, synaptosomal preparations of rat cerebral cortex, hypothalamus and striatum and into adrenergic nerves of rabbit aorta. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1972 181:407416Google ScholarPubMed
12.Ferris, RM, Tang, FL. Comparison of the effects of the isomers of amphetamine, methylphenidate and deoxypipradrol on the uptake of l-[3H]norepinephrine and [3H] dopamine by synaptic vesicles from rat whole brain, striatum and hypothalamus. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1979; 210: 422428.Google ScholarPubMed
13.Emran, AM. Fluorinated azabicycloesters as muscarinic receptor ligands for application with PET. In: Emran, AM, New Trends in Rodiopharmoceutical Synthesis, Quality Assurance, and Regulatory Control. New York: Plenum Press; 1991. p. 8485.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Schuckit, MA. Comorbidity between substance use disorders and psychiatric conditions. Addiction. 2006; 101 Suppl 1:7688.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Statutory Instrument No. 401/2010. Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010, (Number 22 of 2010). Available online from: http://www.attorneygeneral.ie/eAct/2010/a2210.pdfGoogle Scholar
16.Winstock, AR, Ramsey, JD. Legal highs and the challenges for policy makers. Addiction. 2010; 105: 16851687.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed