New psychoactive substances

• Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EU body or agency), Europol (EU body or agency)
• Pages: 174-188

174

Key points

Developments in new psychoactive

substances in the EU

 Policies on NPS appear to be having some impact.

Measures taken in the EU, especially those that have

reduced the open trade, and in source countries, such

as China, appear to have resulted in aslow-down in the

number of rst detections of NPS in European countries.

Currently, around 50 new substances are reported annually,

within atotal of over 730 reported to the EU Early Warning

System.

 Despite aslow-down in rst-time detections, NPS

continue to pose serious cross-border threats to health.

is is evident from the number of potent synthetic opioids,

synthetic cannabinoids and benzodiazepines appearing

on the market and the associated reports of health

emergencies and deaths.

 Globalised markets, the internet and other technologies

drive the availability of NPS in the EU. e internet, both the

surface web and darknet markets, is an important source of

supply, particularly since in many EU countries open sales

in shops have been reduced. However, there appear to be

increasing sales of NPS on the illicit market.

Developments in production and

tracking

 China remains the major source country for NPS, from

where they are exported and openly sold by chemical and

pharmaceutical companies. To alesser extent, India is

also an important source of some NPS, particularly those

sold as medicines. Asmall number of illicit laboratories

have also been detected in European countries such as

the Netherlands and Poland, usually producing synthetic

cathinones.

 Interaction with the market for traditional illicit drugs

is now greater. e NPS market continues to evolve and

is characterised by arange of substances that are cheap,

easily replaceable and potent. Interactions with the market

in established controlled drugs have become stronger

and inuence the demand for and use of NPS, with NPS

increasingly sold alongside illicit substances or in mixtures

with them.

 Problems attributable to synthetic cannabinoids appear

to be growing. e relatively low cost, easy availability and

high potency of synthetic cannabinoids appear to have

resulted in increased use among marginalised groups such

as the homeless and prison populations. is development

is associated with an increase in reports of serious negative

consequences.

 New opioids are agrowing cause for concern. ere has

been arapid increase in the number of fentanyl derivatives,

substances particularly associated with health problems,

including fatal poisoning. Developments in this area are

likely to be inuenced by the prominent role played by this

group of drugs in the current opioid epidemic in North

America.

 Overlaps exist with the market for fake medicines.

New benzodiazepines, often sold at very low prices, have

appeared on illicit drug markets in some countries and have

been associated with harm, including an increased risk of

overdose. ey are also used to make fake versions of these

medicines, which are sold on the illicit drug market. Asmall

number of new benzodiazepines may be sourced from

companies in India, typically as nished medicinal products.

CHAPTER 7

New psychoactive substances

EU DRUG MARKETS REPORT