VIENNA, Austria - February 2016. As of December 2015, 643 new psychoactive substances (NPS) were registered in the UNODC Early Warning Advisory on NPS (EWA).

In 2015, the emergence of 75 substances was reported for the first time. Out of these, the majority of the substances belong to synthetic cannabinoids (21), synthetic cathinones (20) and phenethylamines (9). In addition, another 21 substances were reported for the first time in 2015, that are structurally diverse and do not fit to any of the above mentioned groups.

Compared to the substance reported for the first time in 2014, there has been a major increase in synthetic cathinones and “others” (substances that are structurally diverse and do not fit the above mentioned substance groups) in 2015.

Figure: NPS reported for the first time in 2015 by substance-group