UN in Vienna Warns: Europe Poorly Prepared for Dangerous Synthetic Drugs
The rapid spread of synthetic drugs poses a growing threat to public health and is fundamentally changing global drug black markets. The United Nations International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) in Vienna warns in its latest annual report that Europe is ill-prepared for this danger and that a coordinated, determined strategy is needed to combat the threat.
The illicit production of synthetic and designer drugs is a rapidly evolving target, with criminals often outpacing regulatory mechanisms and acting faster than enforcement agencies can keep up. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons, Psychonaught, Public domain
Of particular concern is the increasing availability of highly potent opioids such as nitazene and fentanyl, which are already responsible for tens of thousands of deaths in the USA and are now also arriving in Europe. The production and distribution of synthetic substances are also increasing massively in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, often with serious health and social consequences.
The changing drug market: synthetic substances on the rise
Traditional herbal drugs such as cocaine or heroin are increasingly being pushed into the background as synthetic alternatives are cheaper, more flexible to produce, and more difficult to control. Criminal networks are using regulatory loopholes to constantly develop new chemical compounds and circumvent existing bans. “The rapid expansion of the synthetic drug industry is a massive threat to global public health with potentially catastrophic consequences,” warns INCB President Jallal Toufiq. Particularly problematic is the fact that many of the new substances are highly potent and often fatal.
Europe under pressure: Nitazene and other synthetic opioids
According to the INCB report, Europe is not sufficiently prepared for the growing market of synthetic opioids. In particular, the so-called nitazenes, a group of synthetic opioids that can be even more potent than fentanyl, have already been detected in several European countries. There have already been documented cases of overdose in Estonia and Poland, and the first findings have been reported in France and Ireland. The sharp decline in opium production in Afghanistan since 2022 is also creating a supply gap that could be filled by synthetic opioids. INCB experts warn that Europe could be hit by a wave of synthetic opioids if no rapid countermeasures are taken.
The European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) confirms this development. According to its latest report, seizures of synthetic drugs are increasing rapidly, particularly in connection with fentanyl derivatives and new psychoactive substances. The authority also observes that synthetic opioids are increasingly appearing in counterfeit medicines, which further increases the risk of unintentional overdoses.
Criminal strategies: Adaptation and technologization
The production of synthetic drugs is less technically demanding than the production of traditional drugs. It does not require large cultivation areas or long transportation routes. Criminals have decentralized production and use modern technologies such as drones, encrypted online platforms, and specialized laboratories to produce and transport substances inconspicuously. Designer precursors - chemical precursors that are deliberately modified so that they do not (yet) fall under international controls - are particularly problematic. The INCB is therefore urgently calling for closer cooperation with the industry to prevent the misuse of chemicals and laboratory equipment.
Worldwide trends: a global problem
The threat is not only increasing in Europe. According to the INCB report, similar trends can be seen worldwide: the opioid crisis continues unabated in North America, with around 150 deaths a day in the USA from synthetic drugs such as fentanyl. In Africa, tramadol and methamphetamines are spreading rapidly, with so-called “kush”, a dangerous new synthetic mixture, causing many deaths. In Asia, methamphetamine production in Southeast Asia is reaching new highs, with criminal networks in Myanmar and Cambodia exploiting political instability for their ends.
Measures needed: A coordinated response required
The INCB emphasizes that the threat of synthetic drugs can only be contained through a coordinated international response. This includes standardized testing procedures so that laboratories can identify new substances more quickly, as well as an improved exchange of information between intelligence services and authorities. Curbing the production of precursors is just as necessary as better equipping health services, particularly through the availability of antidotes such as naloxone. In addition, companies need to be more involved in prevention to prevent the misuse of chemicals.
“We are dealing with a dynamic, constantly changing threat,” warns INCB President Toufiq. “The response must be equally flexible, decisive, and internationally coordinated.” The INCB's warnings are unmistakable: the production and distribution of synthetic drugs are growing at an alarming rate worldwide. Europe, but also other regions, are not sufficiently prepared to effectively counter this threat. Without targeted measures, the crisis could soon hit Europe with full force - with dramatic consequences for public health and safety.