Club Drugs and Novel Psychoactive Substances. The Clinician's Handbook

Over the last decade many hundreds of new psychoactive drugs have emerged onto illicit markets. This flood of new drugs has led to clinicians being unsure of the rapidly emerging changing evidence base and uncertain of the best approaches to assessment and clinical management. This book provides a concise, accessible summary of these emerging drugs. By categorizing the hundreds of new drugs by their predominant psychoactive effect - sedative, stimulant and hallucinogenic - the book helps clinicians to manage a drug they are unfamiliar with by using their experience of other drugs with similar psychoactive properties. Written for clinicians from across the frontline, from A&E staff to drug treatment professionals, the authors draw on numerous clinical examples from their own clinical experiences to illustrate aspects of assessment and management. Club drugs and novel psychoactive substances will continue to challenge clinicians and this handbook provides readers with an invaluable introduction to this complex area.

• Categorizes the hundreds of new drugs according to their psychoactive effect - sedative, stimulant and hallucinogenic - allowing clinicians to orientate themselves to the huge number of newly emerging drugs by firstly identifying the predominant psychoactive effect and then using their experience of other drugs with similar effects to decide on the best treatment approach
• Uses clinical examples from the authors' own practice, demonstrating the types of challenges clinicians may experience in their practices
• Offers a clear division between acute harms and harms from persistent use, ensuring that clinicians from across the frontline, from A&E staff to those working in drug treatment, will find the book accessible

Owen Bowden-Jones, Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Owen Bowden-Jones is Consultant in Addiction Psychiatry and Founder of the CNWL Club Drug Clinic, London, and Honorary Professor at University College London. He is Chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and National Clinical Adviser to the Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco division at Public Health England.

Dima Abdulrahim, Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Dima Abdulrahim is Programme Manager and Principal Researcher for the NEPTUNE Project for the Club Drug Clinic, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust. She has been working in the drug treatment field for over 30 years.