VIENNA, Austria – 13 October 2025: UNODC recently conducted its global Annual Report Questionnaire (ARQ) (reference year is 2024) and NPS results are already captured in the UNODC EWA dashboard.

As of 10 October 2025, a total of 1,396 unique new psychoactive substances have been reported to UNODC EWA by 153 countries and territories worldwide. The annual number of unique NPS reported in 2024 reached a record level of 688 NPS, marking the highest number reported in a single year so far (see Figure 1). This figure may continue to rise as UNODC EWA data collection efforts remain ongoing. Moreover, 101 newly emerged NPS were reported by 45 countries in this year.

Figure 1: Number of unique NPS reported each year to UNODC EWA at global level, by effect group, 2013-2024
Source: United Nations, UNODC Early Warning Advisory on New Psychoactive Substances (EWA), Database (accessed on 10 October 2025).
Note: For more information on effect groups please see here and UNODC, The challenge of New Psychoactive Substances - A technical update (United Nations publication, 2024).

Stimulants remained the largest category of NPS reported globally in 2024, constituting 33 percent of the total, followed by synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (24 percent) and classic hallucinogens (14 percent). Synthetic opioids and unassigned NPS accounted for 9 percent each, sedatives/hypnotics for 7 per cent and dissociatives for 4 per cent. The table below shows the most reported substances (by number of countries and territories) for each effect group in 2024.

Table 1: Most reported NPS by number of countries and territories at global level in 2024, by effect group
Source: United Nations, UNODC Early Warning Advisory on New Psychoactive Substances (EWA), Database (accessed on 09 October 2025).
Note: The number in brackets indicates the number of countries and territories that reported the substance in 2024.

The latest data on NPS are available are accessible via the Dashboard Pro (available for registered users - if not registered please sign up here) and the UNODC EWA database is updated on a weekly basis. In addition, UNODC EWA issues a range of Early Warning Advisories on the latest NPS developments which can be accessed here.