BANGKOK, Thailand – June 2017: On 1st June 2017, the UNODC SMART Programme launched the report entitled "The Challenge of Synthetic Drugs in East and South-East Asia" in Bangkok, Thailand. This report provides an overview of the trends and features of the market for amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) and new psychoactive substances (NPS) in the East and South-East Asian region.

According to the findings of this report, the market for methamphetamine in particular continues to expand in the region with seizures of both forms of methamphetamine - tablets and crystalline - reaching record highs in 2015, with most countries noting an increasing use of the substance. Both the number and the scale of illicit methamphetamine manufacturing facilities continue to increase to meet the rapidly rising demand for methamphetamine in the region. In addition, various NPS have emerged in the region, which have added to the complexity and created new challenges.

For more information, please see:

UNODC report on “The Challenge of Synthetic Drugs in East and South-East Asia”
http://www.apaic.org/images/SMART-PDF/2017_The_Challenge_of_Synthetic_Drugs_in_East_and_SEA.pdf

Press release of the report launch
http://www.unodc.org/documents/southeastasiaandpacific//press-release/2017/Press_release_new_synthetic_drug_report_UNODC.pdf

UNODC web story of the report launch
http://www.unodc.org/southeastasiaandpacific/en/2017/06/new-synthetic-drugs-report-launch/story.html