Department of Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, King’s College London, UK
Research Article
Captagon Abuse: Analysis for its Constituents in Drug Rehabilitation in the UAE
Author(s): Abuelgasim Elrasheed*, Samya Almamari, Simon Elliott, Basma Alharthy, Tarek A. Gawad, Tarek A. Gawad, Mansour Assaf, Ahmed Yousif and Muneeb Venayikot
Stimulants in the form of Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS) are the most commonly abused drug class in the
UAE and the wider Middle East region and has been reflected in the National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) drug
trend data for many years. The NRC is the major center in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for drug addiction prevention,
treatment and rehabilitation.
Of the (ATS) the most commonly abused drug is Fenethylline (Captagon®) a stimulant drug that has been banned
worldwide since 1986. Counterfeit Captagon produced illicitly in the region contains mainly amphetamine, theophylline
and/or caffeine among other chemicals, rather than fenethylline itself. Production is fueled by conflicts
and instability in the region. Fenethylline breaks down in the body to produce amphetamine and theophylline and
unlike drug seizure analysis, this poses a.. View More»