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Acute liver failure following recreational use of psychotropic “head shop” compounds

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Abstract

The recreational use of the so-called “legal-highs” has been in both the medical and political arena over the last year as a result of the appearance of “head shops” in many towns in Ireland. These shops specialized in selling new psychotropic compounds that circumvented established drug legislation. Little is known about the potentially harmful effects of these substances but case reports suggest a plethora of harmful psychological and physical effects. Our case describes for the first time acute liver failure associated with the ingestion of two of these amphetamine type compounds.

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Notes

  1. Interview with head of the Department of Forensic Medicine at the University of Helsinki Helsingin Sanomat, Finland 16 March 2010.

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Correspondence to S. Fröhlich.

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Fröhlich, S., Lambe, E. & O’Dea, J. Acute liver failure following recreational use of psychotropic “head shop” compounds. Ir J Med Sci 180, 263–264 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-010-0636-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-010-0636-6

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