VIENNA, Austria – 19 December 2025: The eighth volume of the
Current NPS Threats report was released in a new format. Presenting highlights of analysed drug and biological samples from 2024 reported to the
UNODC Early Warning Advisory on New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) and it’s associated
Toxicology-Portal.
Toxicology cases were submitted by 20 laboratories from 13 countries from the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania. Understanding which NPS are causing harms in case types such as deaths and hospitalisations helps prioritize responses to reduce their public health impact. For the first time, the report now includes a response section addressing recent developments to aid preparedness.
The key highlights of this issue included:
- Record: 688 unique NPS detected in drug samples in 2024 - 101 reported for the first time
- Synthetic opioids are increasingly detected across all continents:
o Nitazenes and brorphine analogues dominated newly emerged synthetic opioids in drug samples
- Benzodiazepine-type NPS remain prevalent,
bromazolam most frequently detected, followed by
desalkylgidazepam
- Polysubstance toxicity is of significant concern: 38% of post-mortem cases involved two or more NPS
Moreover, this edition of the report provides extended guidance on response strategies (section 3), including:
1. Awareness of newly emerging and harmful NPS
2. Enhanced capabilities of drug testing and toxicology laboratories
3. Standardized chemical reporting
4. Access to lifesaving treatments & comprehensive treatment and care
5. Improved data collection and reporting
6. Establishing/Strengthening early warning systems
For more information, please consult the full report
here.