A fellow of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology, Dr. Barry Logan is an experienced toxicologist. He holds executive roles at both NMS Labs and the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education. Throughout his career, toxicologist Dr. Barry Logan has been published in the fields of post-mortem toxicology and designer drugs.
Designer drug scheduling is the legislative act of incorporating designer drugs and dosage limits into law. Designer drugs, also called novel psychoactive substances (NPS), are derivatives of illicit drugs with mild or severe psychoactive effects than their predecessor drugs. The entrance of designer drugs into the United States in 2008 spawned loopholes in existing drug laws. Designer drugs are addictive, with overdosing a virtual inevitability, and the drugs are linked to multiple drug crimes. Designer drugs also cause various health problems, including delirium, irritability, and anxiety, and may culminate in death.
When the first designer drugs (synthetic cannabinoids) became popular in the country in 2008, they were not classified as controlled substances, despite their dangerous psychoactive effects. In 2012, former U.S. President Barack Obama signed the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act into law. Twenty-six types of synthetic cannabinoids were permanently placed in the Controlled Substances Act Schedule I of the law.
Known designer drugs have multiplied by the hundreds since 2008. The list spans synthetic cannabinoids, hallucinogens, and opioids. Designer drug scheduling remains a continuous process.
