VIENNA, Austria - June 2015: The World Drug Report presents a comprehensive annual overview of the latest developments in the world’s illicit drug markets examining the production, trafficking and consumption of opiates, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamine-type-stimulants (ATS), and new psychoactive substances (NPS), while assessing the related health consequences. The thematic chapter examines how alternative development for farmers involved in illicit crop cultivation can provide them with alternative livelihoods.

According to the World Drug Report 2015 the growing number of NPS available worldwide indicates that the market for synthetic drugs is becoming even more diversified. Although the use of mephedrone and synthetic cannabinoids in recent years seem to have declined in some markets, a growing number of countries have reported a wider range of emerging NPS, as well as worrying developments such as the injecting use of NPS. The continued limited data on recent developments in injecting drug use and polydrug use involving NPS pose a serious challenge for providers of treatment. The sheer number, diversity and transient nature of NPS currently on the market partly explain why there are still only limited data available on the prevalence of use of many NPS. Those difficulties also explain why both the regulation of NPS and the capacity to address health problems related to NPS continue to be challenging.

For further information please see:
http://www.unodc.org/wdr2015/
http://www.unodc.org/documents/wdr2015/World_Drug_Report_2015.pdf