‘Rapid expansion’ of synthetic drugs reshaping illicit markets, UN anti-narcotics body warns
‘Rapid expansion’ of synthetic drugs reshaping illicit markets, UN anti-narcotics body warns
In its 2024 Annual Report, released on Tuesday, the INCB explains that unlike plant-based drugs, these substances can be made anywhere, without the need for large-scale cultivation, making them easier and cheaper for traffickers to produce and distribute.
The rise of powerful opioids like fentanyl and nitazenes – potent enough to cause overdoses in tiny doses – has worsened the crisis, driving record-high deaths.
“The rapid expansion of the illicit synthetic drug industry represents a major global public health threat with potentially disastrous consequences for humankind,” said INCB President Jallal Toufiq. (…)
Medication out of reach
While synthetic drugs flood illegal markets, millions of people in low- and middle-income countries still lack access to essential pain relief medication.
The report highlights that opioid painkillers such as morphine, remain unavailable in regions like Africa, South Asia and Central America – not due to supply shortages, but because of barriers in distribution and regulation.
The INCB is urging opioid-producing nations to increase production and affordability to improve palliative care and pain management. (UN News, New York, 04.03.2025)