Up to December 2014, a total of 541 new psychoactive substances (NPS) were reported to the UNODC Early Warning Advisory on NPS (EWA). In 2014 alone, 450 substances were reported exhibiting an increasing trend compared to 430 substance reported in 2013. Out of all reported substances in 2014, 69 were reported to the UNODC EWA for the first time including 25 synthetic cannabinoids, 16 phenethylamines and synthetic cathinones, 8 other substances as well as 2 aminoindanes and tryptamines.
Synthetic cannabinoids continue to account for the majority of NPS reported in 2014 (39%) followed by phenethylamines (18%) and synthetic cathinones (15%). Compared to 2013, a larger number of synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic cathinones were reported in 2014.
The large increase in NPS reported to the EWA between 2012 to 2013 was due to the expansion of data sources and data completeness. The responses to the recent Member States survey on NPS, which covered the years 2013 and 2014, data exchange with international and regional organisations such as EMCDDA as well as increasing laboratory capacity to identify NPS led to a tripling of data available in the EWA.
Figure 1: Annual number of NPS reported to the EWA, 2009-2014
Source: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Early Warning Advisory on new psychoactive substances 2008-14.