VIENNA, Austria – July 2020: Under the conditions of a globalised drug market, there is an increasing risk that new and potentially harmful psychoactive substances may spread to more countries and regions. Early warning systems help to identify the emergence of such new drug threats and changes on the drug market. Drug analysis laboratories are key to a functioning EWS due to the specific expertise, information and data they can generate. On 2nd June 2020, the UNODC SMART Programme launched its first manual on “The role of drug analysis laboratories in Early Warning Systems”, providing drug analysis laboratories worldwide with practical information and examples on how to participate in early warning systems.

The importance of early warning was also recognized by the United Nations General Assembly, which stated that “Governments have recognized the importance of reinforcing national and international efforts and increasing global cooperation to respond to the challenges and threats of emerging drugs (…) by strengthening information exchange through early warning systems.” UNODC developed a global early warning system on NPS under the umbrella of its Global Synthetics Monitoring: Analyses, Reporting and Trends (SMART) Programme, the UNODC Early Warning Advisory (EWA) on NPS. UNODC strongly encourages national laboratories to actively use this system, which delivers an important input to the review of substances by the World Health Organization in the context of the international drug control conventions, and enhances the analytical work of drug analysis laboratories worldwide.



For more information, please see:

The role of drug analysis laboratories in Early Warning Systems. English, Spanish.

Outcome Document of the 2016 United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem entitled ‘Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem’.

 

BEIJING, China – June 2020: New types and forms of drugs are emerging in China, including blotter paper soaked in LSD, pills containing methylphenidate, DMT (dimethyltryptamine), 2-Fluorodeschloroketamine, and synthetic cannabinoids, according to a recently launched report on the “Drug Situation in China (2019)”. The report also highlights the challenges posed by an increase in drug-related cybercrime cases, as online drug trafficking and delivery through express courier services become the ‘new normal’.

While China saw a decrease in the number of methamphetamine and ketamine drug users between 2018 and 2019, as well as in the number and scale of domestic clandestine laboratories dismantled, the report warns about a potential resurgence in domestic synthetic drug manufacturing due to strong market demand and high profit margins. The country further reported an increase in trafficking of methamphetamine and ketamine from the Golden Triangle.

Source: UNODC.

For more information, please see:

Office of China National Narcotics Control Commission, Drug Situation in China (2019).

UNODC, Synthetic Drugs in East and Southeast Asia – Latest developments and challenges (May 2020).

UNODC, Global SMART Update Volume 22: The ATS market -10 years after the 2009 Plan of Action (October 2019).

UNODC, Current NPS Threats Volume II (January 2020).

UNODC – June 2020: Isotonitazene is a new synthetic opioid that has emerged in Europe and North America. It was first synthesised in the mid-1950s as an attempt to develop safer opioid analgesics with levels of analgesic potency higher than that of morphine. Findings from animal and in vitro studies indicate that isotonitazene acts as a opioid analgesic in humans. Isotonitazene belongs to a chemical class of nitrobenzimidazoles opioids that is structurally different from fentanyl analogues and is the first one of this group to be identified on the illicit drug market in recent years. While isotonitazene is not under international control, other drugs belonging to the same class are included in the Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol.

Isotonitazene has been identified in Europe since April 2019. As of 28 March 2020, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has received reports of identification of isotonitazene in seized drug samples and toxicology cases from six of its Member States including Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Sweden and the United Kingdom, and recently released a technical report on isotonitazene.

At the global level, reports of isotonitazene identified in seized drug samples and toxicology cases in Canada and the United States have been submitted to the UNODC Early Warning Advisory (EWA) since 2019. The substance was identified in 8 deaths in United States between June 2019 and December 2019. In February 2020, authorities in Canada seized 1,900 falsified “hydromorphone” tablets that contained isotonitazene.

Figure 1: Chemical Structure of isotonitazene

Source: UNODC Early Warning Advisory on New Psychoactive Substances.

For more information, please see:

EMCDDA, EMCDDA technical report on the new psychoactive substance N,N-diethyl-2-[[4-(1-methylethoxy)phenyl]methyl]-5-nitro-1Hbenzimidazole-1-ethanamine (isotonitazene) (June 2020).

UNODC, Current NPS Threats Volume II (January 2020).

UNODC, Global SMART Update Volume 21: Understanding the global opioid crisis (March 2019).

LA PAZ, Bolivia – May 2020: The Bolivian Counter-Narcotics Police Force strengthened its capacity to identify synthetic drugs including new psychoactive substances (NPS) and their precursors with handheld electronic drug analyzers donated by UNODC through the Global SMART Programme funded by Global Affairs Canada. In December 2019, days after the devices were deployed for the first time, a 1.5 kg shipment of tablets from Spain was seized at El Alto Air Terminal. The content of the tablets was identified as MDMA (‘ecstasy’), a controlled synthetic drug.

In the context of Bolivia this seizure marks a significant amount, as the country has not reported ‘ecstasy’ seizures to UNODC since 2006. Shipments containing tablets with high doses of MDMA or crystalline MDMA have become an increasing concern in Latin America and the Caribbean in recent years. The Global SMART Programme works with Governments in more than 20 countries of the region to support early warning systems and improve national capacity to identify synthetic drugs and NPS.



For more information, please see:

UNODC, UNODC Everywhere, Operation “Happy New Year Bolivia 2020” (EN, SP)

UNODC, Global SMART Newsletter for Latin America and the Caribbean: Emergence of New Psychoactive Substances in Latin America and the Caribbean (March 2019)

BANGKOK, Thailand – May 2020: On 15th May 2020, the UNODC SMART Programme launched its annual report on “Synthetic Drugs in East and Southeast Asia – Latest Developments and Challenges” in Bangkok, Thailand. The reports provides an overview of the latest trends in the region and considers the potential impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The report finds that that the regional methamphetamine market continues to expand, with sustained increases in seizures, especially of crystalline methamphetamine, amidst falling prices. It states that seizures of methamphetamine precursor chemicals are not commensurate with drug seizure trends, signalling difficulties in coping with increasing diversion, trafficking and illicit manufacture of key precursor chemicals. There are also recent signs of a consolidation of methamphetamine manufacture in the lower Mekong region, as organised crime groups adapt trafficking routes in response to law enforcement operations. The report also finds increased purities and use of “ecstasy”, increased identifications of synthetic NPS with opioid effects and a higher availability of ketamine in the region.

While the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on illicit drug supply in the region might be limited, the repercussions on demand and ongoing drug prevention and treatment programmes could be huge. The report calls for active monitoring and careful interpretation of drug-related trends to understand how the regional drug market evolves in the wake of the pandemic.

For more information, please see:

UNODC, Synthetic Drugs in East and Southeast Asia – Latest developments and challenges (May 2020).

UNODC, UNODC report on East and Southeast Asia: continued growth in the supply of methamphetamine while synthetic opioids spread (May 2020).

UNODC, Research Brief: COVID-19 and the drug supply chain: from production and trafficking to use (May 2020).

UNODC, Global SMART Update Volume 23: An expanding synthetic drugs market – Implications for precursor control (March 2020).

UNODC, Global SMART Update Volume 22: The ATS market -10 years after the 2009 Plan of Action (October 2019).

VIENNA, Austria - May 2020:  The decision adopted by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) during its 63nd Session from 2 to 6 March 2020 to add Crotonylfentanyl and Valerylfentanyl to Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol, was communicated by the Secretary-General on 7th of May 2020 to all States Members of the United Nations, to non-member States Parties to the Conventions, to the World Health Organization and to the International Narcotics Control Board and thereby entered into force on that date.

The decision adopted by the CND to add 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine to Schedule I, AB-FUBINACA, 5F-AMB-PINACA, 5F-MDMB-PICA, 4F-MDMB-BINACA, 4-chloromethcathinone, N-ethylhexedrone, α-pyrrolidinohexanophenone to Schedule II and flualprazolam, etizolam to Schedule IV of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 will come into force on 3rd November 2020.  Similarly, the decision to include the precursors methyl alpha-phenylacetoacetate (MAPA) (including its optical isomers) in Table I of the Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988, will enter into force on 3rd November 2020.

For further information please see:

EWA newsclip: Twelve substances and one precursor "scheduled" at the 63rd Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs

EWA newsclip: World Health Organization recommends 12 NPS for scheduling

CND International Drug Conventions

English Advance version of the CND report

WASHINGTON DC, United States – April 2020: The Inter-American Observatory on Drugs (OID) of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD/OAS), which implements the Regional Early Warning System for the Americas, known by its Spanish acronym SATA (Sistema de Alerta Temprana de las Américas), released its first Information Bulletin: Data from the Early Warning System for the Americas, Vol. 1, April 2020. Most of the alerts reported to the SATA in period 2018 to 2019 by national early warning systems from countries in Latin America and the Caribbean concern synthetic drugs including high dose “ecstasy” tablets and highly potent NPS with hallucinogenic effects sold as “LSD”. 

In the framework of the Cooperation Programme between Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union on Drugs Policies (COPOLAD II), an Implementation Manual – Early Warning Systems on New Psychoactive Substances and Emerging Drug Phenomena was released providing fundamentals and a basis for the implementation of early warning systems as a critical tool that complements and adds value to the existing information within National Drug Observatories (in English and Spanish).

UNODC builds capacity in countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in the area of synthetic drug and NPS identification and forensic early warning systems in the framework of its Global SMART Programme with support from the United States and Canada and in close collaboration with OAS/CICAD. 

For further information, please see:

CICAD/OID, Information Bulletin: Data from the Early Warning System for the Americas, Vol. No. 1 April 2020

To download COPOLAD, Early Warning System on NPS and Emerging Drug Phenomena. Implementation Manual, please click here.

Global SMART Newsletter for Latin America and the Caribbean, Issue No. 5, October 2019: “'Cocaina rosada' ('pink cocaine') in the spotlight”

Global SMART Newsletter for Latin America and the Caribbean, Issue No. 4, June 2019: “Emergence of synthetic opioids in the region: Increasing rate of fentanyl seizures reported in Mexico in 2019”

Global SMART Newsletter for Latin America and the Caribbean, Issue No. 3, March 2019: “Emergence of New Psychoactive Substances in Latin America and the Caribbean”

SMART Announcement, August 2018 - Uruguay: Early Warning Systems in Latin America and the Caribbean address health risks of drug use

SMART Announcement, April 2018 – UNODC: first training on handheld electronic field testing devices for drug identification in Central America and the Caribbean

VIENNA, Austria - April 2020: The potential for law enforcement and border control officers involved in drug control to be exposed to COVID-19 during the execution of their routine duties has increased significantly. Similar to the principles of safe-handling, avoiding secondary exposure and cross-contamination are also important measures in infection control. The safety procedures, protocols and measures taken to protect officers from the risk of accidental exposure when handling dangerous/toxic substances, such as synthetic drugs, can also protect them from the risk of exposure to communicable diseases as COVID-19.

UNODC LSS has developed Guidelines for the safe handling of substances and management of exposure risk for law enforcement and customs officers as part of the ‘safe handling’ series of technical guidelines and training materials. It is an evidence-based guidance document to support law enforcement and customs officers in the safe handling and management of exposure risks to dangerous/toxic substances, and the associated safety and risk mitigation procedures. The guidelines outline practical information and guidance that can also be leveraged to help protect front-line officers from risk of exposure and prevent the spread of COVID-19 and any other communicable diseases, while enabling them to carry out their operational duties with confidence.



Source: UNODC, Guidelines for the safe handling of substances and management of exposure risk for law enforcement and customs officers. 

VIENNA, Austria – March 2020: Flualprazolam and Etizolam are two of the twelve substances placed under international control at the 63rd session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. Their scheduling followed recommendations put forward by the World Health Organization (WHO) after the substances were reviewed at the 42nd Meeting of the WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD).

Data from the UNODC Early Warning Advisory (EWA) illustrates the emergence of Etizolam from 2015 to 2018, covering 51 countries in 4 regions. Furthermore, recent toxicology information from the EWA shows Etizolam associated with over 40 post-mortem cases, more than 90 driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) cases and 19 clinical admission cases. Similarly, Flualprazolam was associated with 5 post-mortem cases and 36 DUID cases. The scheduling of Flualprazolam and Etizolam follows other benzodiazepines such as Alprazolam, Bromazepam, Brotizolam, Clobazam, Clonazepam and so forth, in Schedule IV of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971.

Figure 1: Most reported NPS in DUID cases in 2018 and 2019 reported to UNODC

Source: UNODC, Current NPS Threats, Vol. II (January 2020).

Note: Illustrated by the relative size of substance name displayed in relation to the number of reports

For further information please see:

Current NPS Threats, Vol. II (January 2020)

EWA news clip on substances recommended for scheduling by the WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence: WHO recommends 12 NPS for scheduling.

Non-medical use of benzodiazepines: a growing threat to public health?

VIENNA, Austria – March 2020: At its 63rd regular session from 2 to 6 March 2020, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs decided to place twelve substances and one precursor under international control. Following recommendations by the WHO, twelve substances were added to the relevant schedules of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971. Additionally, following recommendations by the INCB, one precursor was added to Table I of the Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988.

Added to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol:

          1. Crotonylfentanyl- Schedule I
          2. Valerylfentanyl - Schedule I

Added to the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971:

          3. DOC (2,5-Dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine) - Schedule I
          4. AB-FUBINACA - Schedule II         
          5. 5F-AMB-PINACA (5F-AMB, 5F-MMB-PINACA) - Schedule II         
          6. 5F-MDMB-PICA (5F-MDMB-2201) - Schedule II         
          7. 4F-MDMB-BINACA - Schedule II         
          8. 4-CMC (4-chloromethcathinone, clephedrone) - Schedule II         
          9. N-ethylhexedrone - Schedule II         
          10. alpha-PHP - Schedule II         
          11. Flualprazolam - Schedule IV         
          12. Etizolam - Schedule IV

Added to the Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988:

          1. Methyl alpha-phenylacetoacetate (MAPA) (including its optical isomers) - Table I 




For further information please see:

EWA news clip on substances recommended for scheduling by the WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence: WHO recommends 12 NPS for scheduling.

For detailed information on the forty-second meeting, substance evaluation and previous committees of the WHO ECDD, please click here.

VIENNA, Austria – February 2020: The current Global SMART Update Volume 23 -“An expanding synthetic drug – Implications for precursor control” provides insight to how the expansion of the synthetic drugs market is driven by recent key trends and developments in precursor chemicals used in illicit drug manufacture. The Update documents the use of non-scheduled and “designer” precursors in recent years, especially in the manufacture of amphetamine, methamphetamine and fentanyl, and how these developments pose significant challenges to international and states’ precursor control regimes. These significant challenges include timely detection of and agile response to new developments in illicit manufacture; and identification of additional measures to complement and/or enhance present control regimes in response to these new phenomena. The Update also outlines possible options that Member States may wish to adopt in order to develop an effective response to these challenges, that is, understanding clandestine manufacturing through drug profil­ing, undertaking new national legal approaches to precursor control, establishing public-private partner­ships and enhancing international/regional cooperation.

As the discussion on new precursor chemicals continues, methyl alpha-phenylacetoacetate (MAPA) and its optical isomers, a “designer precursor” frequently used in the illicit manufacture of amphetamine and methamphetamine, was recently recommended by the International Narcotics Control Board for possible inclusion in Table I of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 at the upcoming 63rd Session of the Commission of Narcotic Drugs in March 2020.

The Global SMART Updates are a biannual publication of the Global Synthetics Monitoring: Analyses, Reporting and Trends (SMART) programme, implemented by the UNODC Laboratory and Scientific Section.

For more information, please see: 

Global SMART Update Vol. 23: “An expanding synthetic drugs market – Implications for precursor control”

Global SMART Update Vol. 22: “The ATS market 10 years after the 2009 Plan of Action” 

Recommendation from the International Narcotics Control Board concerning the inclusion of methyl alpha-phenylacetoacetate (MAPA) in Table 1 of the 1988 Convention

WASHINGTON DC., United States – November 2020: We are pleased to announce the Seventh International Conference on NPS to be held from 17 to 19 November 2020 in Washington DC. The conference is jointly organised by the International Society for the Study on Emerging Drugs (ISSED), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), University of Hertfordshire (UH) and the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education.

The main objectives of the seventh event are to share evidence-based information on NPS, including fentanyl and derivatives; improve understanding of clinical treatment and management of NPS use; explore policy and legislative responses to NPS; develop innovative prevention measures for vulnerable individuals; share analytical approaches to NPS detection and identification; explore motivations and socio-cultural factors underlying NPS use; networking and providing the opportunity meet leading experts in the field. The two-day scientific meeting program will be preceded on 17 November by a series of half day workshops covering clinical, treatment or toxicological topics, which will be an opportunity for networking and problem solving in an interactive environment.

The International Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) conference series, which started in Budapest in 2012, aims to share knowledge and strengthen collaboration on NPS among multidisciplinary professionals at the international level.

To attend this conference please register on the conference webpage. Abstract submission is open until Thuesday, 30 June 2020.

Source: VII International Conference on NPS

 

For more information, please see:

Conference webpage: www.novelpsychoactivesubstances.org/

Registration: www.novelpsychoactivesubstances.org/registration/

Abstract submission: www.novelpsychoactivesubstances.org/abstract-submission/

LISBON, Portugal – February 2019: A new report of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) finds that in comparison to other established illicit drugs (66.9%), NPS only accounted for 6.2% of the drugs involved in all emergency presentations recorded in the European Drug Emergencies Network (Euro-DEN) Plus (see Table 1), based on almost 24,000 drug-related hospital emergencies presented at 32 sentinel hospitals in Europe. The two most common categories of NPS involved were cathinones (most commonly mephedrone) and synthetic cannabinoids. There was a significant change in the proportions of presentations involving these two NPS categories over the study period, with the predominant type of NPS changing from cathinones in 2014 (76.9%) to synthetic cannabinoids (69.5%) in 2017. The increase in synthetic cannabinoid presentations indicates their potential for severe toxicity. 

These findings are consistent with the analysis of toxicology cases reported to the UNODC Early Warning Advisory on NPS (EWA), where synthetic cannabinoids feature prominently in toxicology cases reported globally between 2016 and 2019. As the discussion on the international control status of several NPS continues, four synthetic cannabinoids including AB-FUBINACA, 5F-AMB-PINACA (5F-AMB, 5F-MMB-PINACA), 5F-MDMB-PICA (5F-MDMB-2201) and 4F-MDMB-BINACA were recently recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be added to Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 at the upcoming 63rd Session of the Commission of Narcotic Drugs in March 2020.

Table 1: Frequency distribution of the main drug groups among all drugs identified in Euro-DEN Plus presentations, 2014-17

For more information, please see:

EMCDDA (2020), Drug-related hospital emergency presentations in Europe: update from the Euro-DEN Plus expert network, Technical report, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

UNODC (2019), Current NPS Threats Volume I.

UNODC (2020), Current NPS Threats Volume II.

WHO (2019), Recommendations of the 42nd Expert Committee on Drug Dependence.

WHO (2019), Summary of the rationale for the recommendations of the 42nd Expert Committee on Drug Dependence.

UNODC (2018), “Understanding the synthetic drug market: the NPS factor”, Global SMART Update Volume 19.

VIENNA, Austria – February 2020: The second volume of the Current NPS Threats was published with information from the UNODC Early Warning Advisory on NPS. Data from seizure reports, post-mortem toxicology cases, clinical admissions, and other casework allowed the identification of some key recent developments regarding health threats posed by NPS. Similar to volume I, the new report illustrates that poly-drug use continues to feature highly in cases of fatalities associated with NPS. In some countries, benzodiazepine-type NPS are increasingly associated in cases of driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) (Figure 1). Incidents of kratom identification in poly-drug use cases are also being reported in a number of countries.  

Figure 1: Most reported NPS in DUID cases in 2018 and 2019 



Note: Illustrated by relative size of substance name displayed in relation to number of reports

For more information, please see:

Current NPS Threats Volume II, February 2020

UNODC Early Warning Advisory (EWA) Toxicology Portal leaflet (2018)

 

LONDON, United Kingdom – January 2020:  The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) issued a report highlighting the pharmacology and toxic effects of fentanyl and related analogues, details of the misuse potential of both pharmaceutical and illicitly manufactured fentanyl compounds, and a summary of the associated harms as documented internationally and in the UK.  ACMD states that despite robust generic control on fentanyl analogues, the rates of registered deaths involving fentanyl and its analogues in the UK has increased over the past decade, with deaths likely to be under-represented. They conclude that there remains an ongoing risk of fentanyl and its analogues as well as other synthetic opioids infiltrating the UK heroin market and resulting in increasing rates of drug-related deaths. ACMD recommends research into and monitoring of trends (e.g. supply, demand, precursors, drug products etc.) and drug strategies relating to fentanyl and its analogues. ACMD also recommends training of health professionals in the appropriate therapeutic use of strong opioids and to include analysis of fentanyl and its analogues for all deaths related to drug poisoning.

At the global level, NPS with opioid effect including fentanyl analogues accounted for only 2% of the total NPS reported the UNODC Early Warning Advisory (EWA) while in 2019, their number has grown to more than 75 substances representing 8% of the total.  The WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) has recently reviewed two fentanyl analogues and recommended their inclusion in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol (see UNODC Early Warning Advisory news on NPS December 2019) – a decision the  Commission on Narcotic Drugs may take at their 63rd meeting in the first week of March 2020.

Figure 1: Annual number of unique synthetic NPS with opioid effects, 2009 – 2019*

Source: UNODC Early Warning Advisory on NPS (as of Dec. 2019).

*Note: 2019 data is not complete

For more information please see:

Misuse of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues

World Health Organization 2019 recommendation for 12 NPS for scheduling

VIENNA, Austria – January 2020: As of December 2019, a total of 950 unique new psychoactive substances (NPS) have been reported to the UNODC Early Warning Advisory on NPS. Stimulants continue to account for the largest proportion of synthetic NPS at 36 percent, followed by synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (31 percent) and classic hallucinogens (15 percent). Significantly, the proportion of synthetic NPS with opioid effects saw an increase from 2 to 8 percent from 2015 to 2019. The proportion of dissociatives and sedatives/hypnotics remained stable at 3 percent. 

Figure 1: Proportion of synthetic new psychoactive substances, by psychoactive effect group, as of December 2019

Source: UNODC Early Warning Advisory on new psychoactive substances.

Note: The analysis of the pharmacological effects comprises synthetic NPS registered up to December 2019.
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.

 

PENNSYLVANIA, United States – December 2019: Between 2018 and 2019, 30 reports of flualprazolam identified in seized material from 8 countries were recorded to the UNODC early warning advisory on new psychoactive substances. Moreover, 76 toxicology case reports associated with flualprazolam in post-mortem and driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) cases were reported to UNODC. Flualprazolam, a benzodiazepine with no known therapeutic use, was reviewed at the 42nd World Health Organization Expert Committee on Drug Dependence in October 2019 and has been recommended to be scheduled under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971.

A recent public announcement published by the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE) highlighted the detection of flualprazolam in at least 44 biological specimens associated with post-mortem death investigations and DUID investigations in the United States since June 2019. It was noted that, although flualprazolam was first identified in a case in March 2018, the substance has recently become more widely used. The public announcement also provides recommendations to public health and public safety officials, law enforcement, clinicians, medical examiners and coroners and laboratory personnel.

For more information, please see:

World Health Organization critical review of flualprazolam

Public Alert: Flualprazolam - Potent Benzodiazepine Identified Among Death and Impaired Driving Cases in the U.S.

GENEVA, Switzerland – December 2019: The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the scheduling recommendations on psychoactive substances reviewed at the 42nd Meeting of the WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) held in Geneva from 21 to 25 October 2019. In total, thirteen substances were critically reviewed by the ECDD and twelve substances were recommended for scheduling:

Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol:
Crotonylfentanyl – Schedule I
Valerylfentanyl – Schedule I 

Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971:
DOC (2,5-Dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine) – Schedule I
AB-FUBINACA – Schedule II
5F-AMB-PINACA (5F-AMB, 5F-MMB-PINACA) – Schedule II
5F-MDMB-PICA (5F-MDMB-2201) – Schedule II
4F-MDMB-BINACA (4F-ADB) – Schedule II
4-CMC (4-chloromethcathinone; clefedrone) – Schedule II
N-ethylhexedrone (NEH, Hexen, Ethyl-Hex) – Schedule II
Alpha-PHP (PV-7, α-pyrrolidinohexanophenone) – Schedule II
Flualprazolam - Schedule IV
Etizolam - Schedule IV

The WHO recommended that APINACA (AKB-48) should be kept under surveillance. Further, the WHO recommended proceeding with a critical review for the preparations of acetyldihydrocodeine, codeine, dihydrocodeine, ethylmorphine, nicocodine, nicodicodine, norcodeine and pholcodine; which are listed in Schedule III of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.

For more information, please see:

Recommendations of the 42nd Expert Committee on Drug Dependence

Annex 1: Summary of the rationale for the recommendations of the 42nd Expert Committee on Drug Dependence

VIENNA, Austria – November 2019: The decision of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) during its 62nd Session from 18 to 22 March 2019 to add ADB-FUBINACA , FUB‐AMB (MMB‐FUBINACA, AMB‐FUBINACA), ADB‐CHMINACA, CUMYL‐4CN-BINACA and N‐Ethylnorpentylone (ephylone) to Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 has entered into force on 19 November 2019. Similarly, the decision to place the precursors 3,4-MDP-2P-methylglycidate (PMK glycidate) (all stereoisomers), 3,4-MDP-2P-methylglycidic acid (PMK glycidic acid) (all stereoisomers), Alpha-phenylacetoacetamide (APAA) (including its optical isomers) to Table I of the Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988, has entered into force.

Previously, on 23 May 2019, the decision adopted by the CND during its 62nd Session to add Cyclopropylfentanyl, Methoxyacetylfentanyl, Orthofluorofentanyl (2-Fluorofentanyl) and Parafluorobutyrylfentanyl (4-Fluorobutyrfentanyl) to Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 entered into force.