UN warns of world boom in synthetic drugs June 26, 2023 - Nation
There is an unprecedented boom in synthetic drugs due to the fact that It is cheap, fast to manufacture and is not tied to any crop or geographical limitations Due to which the work of security forces becomes difficult.
Methamphetamines are the most widespread synthetic drug in the world and guarantee huge profit margins for organized crime. world drug report 2023 Will be broadcast this Sunday in Vienna.
are in the world There are about 36 million users of amphetamines and about 20 million of “ecstasy”, the two most widespread designer drugs, and their main markets are in Asia and North America.
are using drugs Innovative synthesis techniques, setting up new laboratories and using uncontrolled precursors To avoid security forces, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) document indicates.
One of the most famous synthetic substances, Fentanyl, a laboratory opioid 50 times more potent than heroin is changing drug markets in North America and causing an “overdose epidemic” in the US.
In 2021, nearly 100,000 opioid overdose deaths were expected in North America, with illegally manufactured fentanyl being the main culprit.
Drug production appears in conflict zones
The ease with which these drugs can be manufactured via mobile laboratories makes it possible for their production to flourish in conflict zones with low state presence, such as Afghanistan and Syria, a move the United Nations has condemned.
After years of relative stability, in 2021 it registered 40% increase in seizures of new psychoactive substances of synthetic origin up to 19 tons.
41 new drugs reported to be introduced in Europe in 2022
According to the United Nations, the relative ease of obtaining chemical precursors and the availability of information on their synthesis on the Internet is “democratizing” their manufacture, and represents a new challenge for the authorities.
Furthermore, developments in sales channels, the boom in bulk transactions on the “deep web” (darknet) and the emergence of social media platforms as new outlets have further complicated the situation.
For this reason, the U.N. calls for greater control over chemical precursors That includes increased oversight of big industry as important steps to reduce synthetic drug production, as well as efforts to curb corruption.
New mix of narcotics: health hazard
Along with the rise of synthetic drugs, drug mixing has become a new phenomenon with an increasing diversification of the substances it is being used for. prescription drugs, veterinary substances, alcohol and even industrial components,
Although some of these formulations have a long tradition, others are relatively new and are rapidly spreading in pharmaceutical markets around the world.
These new mixtures pose a danger because Consumers may be unaware of its composition Which can have serious effects on health.
It can also increase the risk of overdose, as has happened in the US, where fentanyl has been found in other intravenous drugs, increasing their potency and toxicity.
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