Recreational Drug Toxicology with Dima Abdulrahim

In this session we will examine the latest perspectives and
insights into recreational drug toxicology with Dima Abdulrahim.
I wanted to unpack some of the recreational drug toxicology with
reference to drugs that seem to be in favour with youth and have
pre-hospital touch points from an acute perspective. Dima
Abdulrahim has been working in the field of substance use
treatment for 30 years. She is currently the Quality Lead in the
Addictions department of CNWL NHS Trust. Dima was the Principal
Researcher and Programme Manager of the NEPTUNE Project, based in
the Club Drug Clinic. She is the author of two books on novel
psychoactive substances and club drugs and other publications and
has developed as a series of e-learning and mobile-learning
modules, with co-author Owen Bowden-Jones. Dima was a council
member of the Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) for
many years. Topics covered include a deep dive into:


• Some of the most addictive recreational substances Dima has
seen in practice 


• Poly-pharmacy and the associated incremental risk profile to
the user


• The combined use of sildenafil with other drugs within the
chem-sex context


• GHB addiction and profile and the narrow therapeutic window and
GABA-B stimulation/sedation (and over sedation) in overdose


• The half-life of GHB 


• Serotonin linked harms and syndromes, mainly within MDMA and
ecstasy


• The incumbent fentanyl crisis (unwarranted and unregulated
cutting of drugs with fentanyl)


• The false economy of safety around drugs bought online


• The contemporary issue around fake ketamine distribution


• The circulation of fake pregabalin and benzodiazepines and the
related deaths


• Take home Naloxone campaigns 


• Other emergent synthetic recreational drugs seen within the
clinic





Resources that Dima has written include: 


Books: 


Abdulrahim D and Bowden-Jones O: Textbook of Clinical Management
of Club Drugs and Novel Psychoactive Substances Cambridge
University Press Medicine. October 2022 (book)


Bowden-Jones and Abdulrahim: Club Drugs and Novel Psychoactive
Substances. The Clinical Handbook. Cambridge University Press
Medicine. November 2020 (book)


Resources (available free of charge)


NEPTUNE e-learning modules on club drugs and novel psychoactive
substances


http://neptune-clinical-guidance.co.uk/e-learning/


Neptune guidelines and resources
http://neptune-clinical-guidance.co.uk/


ATOMIC- Addiction to Medication: Improving Care. Mobile-learning
modules on the harms and management of non-medical prescription
drug use. https://addiction-to-medication.org/atomic/





My thanks to Dima for an engaging and insightful interview.