UNODC EWA: Significant diversification among synthetic cannabinoids and opioids in 2023

October 18, 2024October 31, 2024 admin_unodc

VIENNA, Austria – October 2024: A total of 1,250 unique new psychoactive substances (NPS) have been reported to the UNODC Early Warning Advisory on NPS (EWA) up to 2023. Stimulants continue to constitute the largest group of NPS at 35 percent, followed by synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (32 percent), classic hallucinogens (15 percent) and synthetic opioids (12 percent).

The number of unique NPS reported annually increased to 627 NPS in 2023, the highest number of unique NPS reported in a single year so far.

Figure 1: Number of unique NPS reported each year to the UNODC EWA, by effect group, up to 2023

Source: UNODC Early Warning Advisory on New Psychoactive Substances, October 2024.

In 2023, the illicit drug market saw an unprecedented number of unique synthetic cannabinoids (191) present on the illicit drug market, marking the highest count since the UNODC began monitoring NPS. This trend was reinforced by further diversification in a group of substances which became known as “semi-synthetic” cannabinoids. Although some of the initial “semi-synthetic” cannabinoids were derived from plant-based CBD or THC, many subsequent substances of synthetic origin were also marketed under this category.

The second noteworthy development in 2023 was a strong decline in opioids from 82 unique substances reported in 2022 to only 41 in 2023. This was mainly due to a decline in fentanyl analogues from 55 reported in 2022 to only 18 in 2023. At the same time, the chemical group of nitazenes, which also includes potent opioid agonists, increased significantly and reached 16 distinct substances in 2023, up from 11 in 2022 (see Figure 2). This raise in numbers was accompanied by a further geographic spread with 26 countries and territories reporting the detection of nitazenes in 2023.

Figure 2: Number of unique synthetic opioids reported to the UNODC EWA, 2022 and 2023