What is a Designer Drug?

A designer drug is a synthetic substance that is made to mimic the effects of other drugs — like cocaine, methamphetamine, or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) — but with a slightly different chemical structure. These drugs are specifically developed to copy the high of illegal drugs while trying to stay one step ahead of drug laws.

Designer drugs are also called new psychoactive substances, synthetic drugs, legal highs, or research chemicals. Do not let the word "legal" fool you. Many of these substances are extremely dangerous and have been banned under the Controlled Substances Act by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

These substances are typically produced in unlicensed laboratories and clandestine labs — meaning secret, illegal places with no quality control standards. Scientists working in these hidden labs change the chemical structure of existing prohibited drugs just enough to create new drugs that may not yet be banned.

Because these new drugs are made without proper testing or safety checks, no one — not even the people making them — truly knows how harmful they can be. They often contain toxic fillers. Some batches have even been found to contain rat poison and other dangerous chemicals.

There are several types of designer drugs that have become popular over the past decade. Understanding what they are can help you spot the warning signs.

Synthetic cannabinoids, often sold as synthetic marijuana, herbal incense, or "Spice," are sprayed onto plant material and smoked. They are sometimes sold at convenience stores under names like "K2." While they are designed to mimic marijuana, they can be much stronger and far more dangerous. These synthetic substances can cause seizures, heart attacks, and even death.

Bath salts are a group of illicit psychostimulants known as synthetic cathinones. Despite the name, they have nothing to do with bathing products. They are sometimes sold as jewelry cleaner or plant food to hide their true purpose. Bath salts often come in liquid form or as a white powder. They can cause extreme agitation, hallucinations, and violent behavior. Their pharmacological effects are similar to cocaine and methamphetamine.

Synthetic opioids include substances like fentanyl analogs — types of highly potent synthetic opioid drugs that are far stronger than heroin or prescription pain pills. These drugs flood the illicit market and are responsible for a massive number of overdose deaths every year. They are among the most deadly of all new designer drugs.

Synthetic hallucinogens are designed to produce effects similar to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). These psychoactive drugs change the way a person sees, hears, and feels things. They are often sold as research chemicals online and are considered some of the most unpredictable new psychoactive substances on the market.

Designer drugs are different from many other illicit drugs for one main reason: we do not always know what is in them. Here is what makes them so risky:

No safety testing. Unlike prescription drugs, which go through years of testing before reaching people, designer drugs are made quickly and sold fast. There are no quality control standards in a clandestine lab.

Constantly changing. When one version becomes considered illegal and banned under the Controlled Substances Act, chemists create a new one with a similar chemical structure. This makes it very hard for the Drug Enforcement Administration to keep up.

Impossible to detect. Standard drug tests often cannot detect designer drugs because they are made with chemically similar but slightly different compounds. This gives many users a false sense of safety.

Highly addictive. Many users believe these substances are safe because of their legal status or because they can be bought at a store. But many designer drugs can cause powerful drug addiction very quickly — sometimes after just one use.

Unknown dangers. Because they are new drugs, doctors and emergency rooms may not know how to treat an overdose. The dangerous effects can include heart failure, psychosis, seizures, and death.

Designer drug use has gained widespread popularity among teens and young adults, often called the younger crowd. These drugs are frequently seen at parties and are sometimes grouped with club drugs. They are easy to find — sold online and sometimes even at gas stations or convenience stores — and the slang terms used to describe them make them sound harmless.

Common slang terms include "Spice," "K2," "Flakka," "Molly," "Moon Rocks," and many others. Because they are marketed as recreational drugs or even as harmless products, many users do not realize they are taking illegal or extremely dangerous substances.

The drug policy in the United States has struggled to keep up. The Drug Enforcement Administration works hard to classify these substances under the Controlled Substances Act, but new formulas keep appearing. Under the Federal Analogue Act, substances with similar chemical structures to banned drugs may also be considered controlled. Still, the illicit market continues to grow.