GENEVA, Switzerland – 3 September 2026: The World Health Organization (WHO) evaluates the dependence-producing properties and potential harm to health of psychoactive substances. Recommendations from the WHO regarding international control under the International Drug Control Conventions are made to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and are subject to a vote by the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND).

Five new psychoactive substances (NPS) will be considered for critical review and two medicines for preliminary review at the 49th Expert Committee on Drug Dependence of the WHO (ECDD), including three synthetic opioids, two benzodiazepines and two anaesthetics. 

The ECDD will be held from 19 to 22 October 2026. Analysis of scientific information from UNODC’s Early Warning Advisory on NPS (EWA), including it's Tox-Portal is provided to WHO for the prioritization of NPS and their consideration for scheduling recommendations by the ECDD.

Nitazenes
Etomethazene (5-methyl etodesnitazene)

Orphine analogues
Cychlorphine (N-Propionitrile chlorphine)
Spirochlorphine (R-6890)

Benzodiazepines
Desalkylgidazepam (bromonordiazepam)
Ethylbromazolam

Anaesthetics
Etomidate
Medetomidine


For more information, please see:

World Health Organization, Provisional Agenda, 49th WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence

World Health Organization 49th Expert Committee on Drug Dependence

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), March 2025 – Increasing detections of etomidate and analogues on illicit drug markets is becoming a global concern

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), June 2026 - The emerging threat of orphines: New synthetic opioids raising global public health concerns (video)