Trends in hospital presentations following analytically confirmed synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist exposure before and after implementation of the 2016 UK Psychoactive Substances Act

Abstract Background and aims: The United Kingdom (UK) Psychoactive Substances Act (PSA), implemented on the 26th May 2016, made the production, supply and sale of all non‐exempted psychoactive substances illegal. The aim of this study was to measure trends in hospital presentations for severe toxicity following analytically confirmed synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist (SCRA) exposure before and after implementation of the PSA. Design: Observational study. Setting: Thirty‐four hospitals across the UK participating in the Identification of Novel Psychoactive Substances (IONA) study.