Synthetic cannabinoids: a hidden threat in vapes in Switzerland

In 2024, a team from the University of Bath analysed e-cigarettes confiscated from 38 English schools and found that about one in six contained synthetic cannabinoids (often referred to as “spice”), while THC was detected in only about 1% of cases. The study brought to light a largely ignored problem: many teenagers believed they were using simple nicotine or cannabis vapes, but were actually being exposed to much more potent and dangerous synthetic drugs. The authors emphasised the urgent need for greater regulation and control in the face of a market where illegal and toxic substances circulate freely in products accessible to young people. (University of Bath 25/07/2024)

A structured online black market

In 2024, Gould and colleagues conducted a systematic survey of the availability of synthetic cannabinoid vaping products sold online in the UK. Their analysis identified 62 websites offering no fewer than 128 different brands of SCRA e-liquids, often marketed with attractive packaging, bulk promotions, and discreet delivery options. Although presented as “not for human consumption” or “for research use only,” all indications were that these e-liquids were indeed being sold for recreational inhalation. This study found evidence for the existence of a structured, transnational, and difficult-to-control market that largely eludes regulation and promotes the diffusion of potent and dangerous substances among young people. (Gould, Dargan et Wood 2024)

In Switzerland, the online market for vaping products largely escapes any effective control. The majority of sites rely on a so-called age check reduced to a simple click, where the user self-declares to be of legal age, without any real verification required. AT Suisse had already alerted federal and cantonal authorities on several occasions to the fact that more than 100 websites were freely selling illegal e-cigarettes exceeding the legal limits for liquid volume (2ml) or nicotine concentration (20mg/ml), without restrictions or controls. However, no concrete measures have been taken to stem this trade. (AT Schweiz 2024) Can we expect a different reaction from the authorities in the even more worrying case of synthetic cannabinoids?

What are the health risks?

Unlike THC, which acts as a partial agonist of the CB1 cannabinoid receptor, most synthetic cannabinoids (SCRAs) behave as full agonists, which explains their much more potent and unpredictable effects. Clinical studies and public health reports describe severe acute effects, including agitation, anxiety, hallucinations, seizures, and cardiac troubles. Cases of acute kidney injury were also documented by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States (Acute kidney injury associated with synthetic cannabinoid use--multiple states, 2012 2013) and an increased number of death linked to SCRAs has been reported. (Alzu'bi et al. 2024) These data confirm that SCRAs have a much higher risk profile than natural cannabis and constitute a major public health hazard. (Tait et al. 2016)

The effects of combined consumption of synthetic cannabinoids with nicotine, and in particular with nicotine analogues such as 6-methyl-nicotine, are currently unknown and, to our knowledge, have not been the subject of any systematic scientific study. This complete lack of data is in itself a major concern. However, there is reason to fear a significantly increased potential for addiction resulting from a dual stimulation of the neurobiological systems of addiction: on the one hand, the endocannabinoid system via SCRAs (full CB1/CB2 agonists), and on the other hand, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) via nicotine and its analogues. In other words, even if empirical evidence is lacking, it is reasonable to fear that this combination reinforces addiction and aggravates the health risks associated with the use of these products. (European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction 2021)

Switzerland is not spared

Switzerland is unfortunately not spared by this phenomenon. The e-cigarette brands in which British research has detected synthetic cannabinoids are also circulating on our national market: they can be found in kiosks, some specialist stores and, even more so, via online sales platforms. However, unlike what is already the case in several neighbouring countries, no systematic checks appear to be carried out by health authorities on the actual composition of e-cigarettes available in Switzerland. This lack of oversight means that consumers — especially young people — can purchase and use products that potentially contain extremely potent synthetic psychoactive substances, without any information or protection. It is therefore highly likely that SCRAs are already present in vapes sold in Switzerland, without this being detected or publicly communicated. In other words, our country is suffering from a total lack of vigilance and is moving blindly forward in the face of a major health risk that primarily threatens adolescents, the primary users of these attractive and inexpensive products.

Several European countries have already taken steps to ban certain synthetic cannabinoids circulating on the market, such as HHC (hexahydrocannabinol) and its derivatives. These decisions reflect a growing political awareness of the dangers associated with these substances widely available online and in some specialty stores, and whose effects are both more powerful and more unpredictable than those of natural cannabis.

The most recent is Ireland, which decided in July 2025 to classify HHC as a controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. The ban, announced by the Department of Health, came into force on 29 July 2025, and now makes the production, importation, sale, and possession of products containing HHC illegal. (Government of Ireland 2025)

In parallel with nicotine analogues (6-MN)

Alongside the spread of conventional nicotine products, the tobacco and vaping industry is actively exploring the introduction of molecules similar to nicotine. (Ruggia 2025) Some, such as anabasine, anatabine. and nornicotine, are naturally present in small quantities in the tobacco plant, but they are known for their intrinsic toxicity. Nornicotine is also a major precursor of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), including NNN and NNK, which are classified as proven human carcinogens (Group 1 by IARC). Beyond these traditional alkaloids, a worrying innovation has recently emerged: 6-methyl-nicotine (6-MN), a synthetic analogue first identified in disposable e-cigarettes circulating in Europe between 2024 and 2025. Unlike conventional nicotine, initial toxicological studies indicate that 6-MN causes more marked acute neurotoxicity in animals at equivalent doses, with a different pharmacokinetic and metabolic profile that raises additional concerns about its long-term effects. This trend illustrates a clear strategy to circumvent regulation: by introducing “nicotine-like” molecules not explicitly listed in legislation, the industry hopes to maintain addiction while evading legal constraints. Several researchers and organisations (Jordt 2021; Jordt et al. 2023; Rutten et al. 2025) and AT Switzerland (Ruggia 2025)have already sounded the alarm, stressing that placing such substances on the market without rigorous prior assessment constitutes a major risk to public health.

Industrial strategy: bypassing regulation

Faced with bans and attempts at regulation, producers of addictive substances deploy a well-known strategy: constant circumvention of the law. In the case of synthetic cannabinoids (SCRAs), it's a veritable chemical race: each time a molecule is banned, a new, slightly modified variant is put on the market, thus temporarily escaping the legal lists. This phenomenon, often referred to as "chemical whack-a-mole," (or a chemical game of cat and mouse), has been documented for over a decade by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), which reports hundreds of new structures appearing at a frenetic pace. These products are then presented in attractive packaging, sometimes labeled "incense" or "research products," but are in reality intended for human consumption, including by young people.

In the nicotine field, the logic is similar but takes another form: the introduction of nicotine analogues such as 6-methyl-nicotine (6-MN). By exploiting loopholes in the legislation, which often only covers "nicotine" in the strict sense, manufacturers seek to release substances that reproduce the addictive effect while avoiding concentration limits, marketing authorisation requirements, or restrictions related to the molecule's plant origin. Sometimes they market these products under a "NoNic" label, openly mocking authorities and consumers. This strategy aims to maintain a marketable and attractive product, while delaying action by health authorities and transferring the risk to consumers.

Whether it involves synthetic cannabinoids or nicotine analogues, the result is the same: consumers – often adolescents attracted by cheap and colourful puffs – are misled and exposed to underestimated risks. They believe they are consuming a relatively well-known product (nicotine or cannabis), but are actually inhaling more potent, more unpredictable, and potentially more toxic chemicals. This is a breach of trust on a grand scale, with the industry and distributors profiting from regulators' slow pace by incorporating synthetic drugs into everyday consumer products.

Recommendations for Switzerland

AT Suisse calls on federal and cantonal authorities to act without delay:

1. Immediately control the composition of e-cigarettes sold in Switzerland (SCRA and nicotine analogues).
2. Regulate by classes of substances (all substances acting as full agonists of CB1/CB2 receptors and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors – nAChRs – and not only THC or nicotine).
3. Establish an early warning system (EWS), in coordination with the EU and the EMCDDA.
4. Ban non-compliant products and impose heavy penalties on importers.
5. Inform the public and schools that these vapes can contain synthetic drugs that are far more dangerous than cannabis or nicotine.
6. Strengthen international cooperation to block cross-border trafficking.

Conclusion

Synthetic cannabinoids and nicotine analogues represent a new generation of disguised chemical drugs. Their presence in vapes demonstrates a deliberate effort by the industry and parallel networks to circumvent regulations and deceive consumers.

By not implementing any controls, Switzerland is placing itself in a highly vulnerable position. If nothing is done, we will reproduce the British scenario, with serious poisonings among young people.

AT Suisse demands an immediate response from the Swiss authorities: control, regulation, and protection of minors.