The European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) continues to monitor illicit drug production and precursor chemicals across Europe to improve understanding of how drug markets are evolving. Production within the European Union is primarily focused on synthetic stimulants, including amphetamine, MDMA, methamphetamine, and synthetic cathinones, while production methods are becoming increasingly flexible and adaptive.

The report also highlights the significant environmental and public safety risks associated with illicit drug production. Drug manufacturing can generate large amounts of hazardous chemical...

The European Drug Report 2026: Trends and Developments provides the latest overview of the drug situation across Europe, drawing on data from EU Member States, Türkiye, and Norway. The report examines patterns of drug use, drug-related harms, drug supply, treatment services, and other interventions, offering a comprehensive picture of developments up to the end of 2025.

Using data collected through national monitoring systems and European research networks, the report highlights emerging trends and supports evidence-informed responses to drug-related challenges. It also emphasises the...

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has released its 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment (NDTA), providing an overview of the threats posed by illicit drugs and the transnational criminal organizations involved in their production and trafficking. The report highlights the continuing impact of synthetic drugs, particularly fentanyl and methamphetamine, on public health, public safety, and national security.

While overdose deaths in the United States have declined significantly over the past year, synthetic drugs remain the leading driver of drug-related fatalities. The report also...

The UN Toolkit on Synthetic Drugs is a practical online resource coordinated by UNODC that brings together tools, guidance, and operational resources from across the UN system to support responses to the global synthetic drug problem. Covering topics such as diversion prevention, investigations, trafficking, criminal financing, and cybercrime, the Toolkit is regularly updated to help policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and practitioners address the rapidly evolving synthetic drug landscape.

 

ISSUP will be sharing selected modules, tools, and resources from the UN Toolkit on Synthetic...

The Tobacco Control Scale 2025 shows that progress in tobacco control across Europe has slowed, with more countries recording lower scores than in previous years. Key reasons include the failure to regulate heated tobacco products in the same way as cigarettes and the lack of adjustments to tobacco taxes and prices to keep pace with inflation.

UNODC has launched a new Security Document Examination module within the UN Toolkit on Synthetic Drugs, developed in collaboration with the UNODC Laboratory and Scientific Services. The module aims to help law enforcement, border control authorities, and forensic experts detect and respond to the use of fraudulent documents in synthetic drug trafficking.

Criminal networks often rely on forged passports, identity documents, and manipulated shipping and travel records to conceal identities and facilitate cross-border operations. The new module provides practical guidance on document examination...

The UNODC Early Warning Advisory highlights a continued global expansion of new psychoactive substances (NPS), with nearly 1,400 substances reported worldwide. In 2024 alone, a record number of substances were identified, including over 100 newly detected compounds.

Synthetic opioids—particularly fentanyl analogues and nitazenes—are a growing concern, now reported across all regions. At the same time, benzodiazepine-type substances remain widely present in drug samples. A key emerging risk is polysubstance use , with a significant share of deaths involving multiple substances.

Overall, the...

The European Union Drugs Agency has released updated data sheets providing a clear and comparable overview of drug-related indicators across six Western Balkan partners under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA). These include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia.

The data sheets bring together health and security information in one place, making it easier for policymakers and practitioners to access and use routine data. They are part of ongoing EU support to help these countries strengthen monitoring systems and align with EU...

The European Commission has introduced new controls on nine high-risk chemical precursors used in illicit drug production under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/314. Most of these substances are linked to synthetic cathinones, while one is used in amphetamine production.

This measure responds to the growing scale of synthetic drug production in Europe, with dozens of production sites dismantled in recent years. The regulation is based on updated risk assessments that improve understanding of how precursor chemicals are sourced and diverted into illegal markets.

Overall, the new controls aim to...