VIENNA, Austria – February 2019: With 36 per cent, substances with stimulant effects constitute the largest proportion of new psychoactive substances (NPS) reported to UNODC until December 2018, followed by synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (30 per cent) and classic hallucinogens (15 per cent). While smaller effect groups such as dissociatives and sedatives/hypnotics are remaining stable at 3 per cent, the number of opioids almost doubled in the course of 2018 to reach 62 different opioids or 7 per cent of all substances registered in the system as of December 2018. The growing importance of synthetic opioids is also reflected in the current opioid crisis.
Five synthetic opioids were reviewed by WHO in 2018 and received a recommendation to be placed under international control – a decision the Commission on Narcotic Drugs may take at their upcoming meeting from 14 to 22 March 2019.
Figure 1: Proportion of new psychoactive substances, by psychoactive effect group, as of December 2018
Source: UNODC Early Warning Advisory on new psychoactive substances.
Note: The analysis of the pharmacological effects comprises NPS registered up to December 2018. Plant-based substances were excluded from the analysis as they usually contain a large number of different substances, some of which may not have been known and whose effects and interactions are not fully understood.
For more information please see:
UNODC’s response to the opioid crisis
UNODC Early Warning Advisory news on NPS of November 2018: https://www.unodc.org/LSS/Announcement/Details/beb773a1-7d17-4b67-95c3-e757bff79901
https://www.unodc.org/LSS/Announcement/Details/beb773a1-7d17-4b67-95c3-e757bff79901
https://www.unodc.org/LSS/Announcement/Details/beb773a1-7d17-4b67-95c3-e757bff79901