Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP
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Nitrous oxide (N2O; laughing gas) is clinically used as a safe anesthetic (dentistry, ambulance, childbirth) and appreciated for its anti-anxiety effect. Since five years, recreational use of N2O is rapidly increasing especially in the dance and festival scene. In the UK, N2O is the second most popular recreational drug after cannabis. ⋯ N2O use does not seem to result in dependence. Considering the generally modest use of N2O and its relative safety, it is not necessary to take legal measures. However, (potential) users should be informed about the risk of vitamin B12-deficiency related neurological and hematological effects associated with heavy use.
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Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. · Dec 2015
Comparative StudyRanking the harm of non-medically used prescription opioids in the UK.
A panel of nine experts applied multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to determine the relative overall harm to users and harms to others of street heroin (injected and smoked) and eleven non-medically used prescription opioids. The experts assessed harm scores for each of the 13 opioids on each of 20 harm criteria, weighted the criteria and explored the resulting weighted harm scores for each opioid. Both forms of heroin scored very high: overall harm score of 99 for injected heroin and 72 for smoked heroin on a scale of 0-100. ⋯ Pethidine, methadone, morphine and oxycodone are also low in harm to others, while moderate in harm to users. We conclude that the overall harms of non-medically used prescription opioids are less than half that of injected street heroin. These data may give a basis for precautionary regulatory measures that should be considered if the rising trend in non-medical use of prescription opioids were to become evident in the UK.
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Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. · Dec 2015
Five-year yield variation in N-nitrosonornicotine and (4-methylnitrosoamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone from the smoke of commercial cigarette brands on the Japanese market.
This study reports on variation in the yields of N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and (4-methylnitrosoamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) from the mainstream smoke of cigarette brands and describes factors affecting this variation. Yields of NNN and NNK from smoke and tobacco filler, which is blended and cut tobacco filled in a cigarette tube, together with cigarette design parameters, were measured for 11 commercial cigarette brands, which were available in Japan from 2009 to 2013. ⋯ In addition, the RSDs of NNN and NNK in smoke were mostly higher than those of KY3R4F which was manufactured in a single batch. It was identified that variation in NNN yields from tobacco filler mainly contribute to variation in NNN yields from smoke.