designer drug
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designer drug
n.
1. A drug synthesized to have properties similar to a known hallucinogen or narcotic but having a slightly altered chemical structure, usually in order to evade restrictions against illegal substances.
2. A drug that is synthesized, especially by genetic engineering, in order to treat a specific medical condition or a specific patient population.
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designer drug
Substance abuse A substance of abuse synthesized or manufactured to give the same subjective effects as well known illicit drugs, produced in a clandestine lab; it is generally difficult to locate the manufacturer to identify adverse effects. See Adam, 'Ice. '.McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
designer drug
An illicitly produced drug of abuse. Designer drugs include methamphetamine, fentanyl and its analogues, and phencyclidine hydrochloride (PCP). They have serious side effects or are addictive; deaths and injury from overdose are common.
See also: drug
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