This threat assessment examines the potential risks posed by highly potent synthetic opioids (HPSOs) in Europe over the next two years. Drawing on early warning data, forensic and clinical evidence, and expert input, the report explores how opioid-related harms could develop under different scenarios and identifies key uncertainties that may influence future trends.

The assessment highlights the emergence of these substances as a significant public health and security concern due to their extreme potency, the risk of overdose at very low doses, and their presence in counterfeit or...

The UNODC World Drug Report 2026 introduces a new interactive platform that allows users to explore the latest global, regional, and subregional trends in drug demand and supply through dynamic data visualisations, maps, graphs, and downloadable datasets.

The Drug Market Patterns and Trends platform presents concise, evidence-based analyses across a range of topics, enabling users to examine emerging developments in drug markets, patterns of use, production, trafficking, and related indicators. Each finding is supported by interactive visualisations, with the underlying data available for...

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 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...

Drug trafficking in the Pacific is rapidly expanding, shifting countries from transit points to consumer and production markets. However, many national laws remain outdated, as they were designed for earlier challenges like cannabis and are not equipped to address synthetic drugs and cocaine.

Governments are under pressure to respond, leading in some cases to tougher punitive proposals, but legislative reform alone is not keeping pace with the evolving threat. Fiji’s recent approach shows a more integrated model, combining law enforcement, public health, and community engagement through broad...

The 2025 Global Organized Crime Index shows that overall crime levels in Europe remain stable, and the region continues to rank among the least affected globally. However, this stability hides a more complex reality, with criminal markets and actors evolving and expanding.

Financial crime is the most widespread threat, driven by online fraud and cross-border schemes, while cybercrime continues to grow, often linked to state-backed or hybrid actors. Drug markets are also shifting, with cocaine and synthetic drugs increasing, while trafficking and smuggling networks remain deeply entrenched.

A...

Secondhand smoke (SHS) continues to be a major global health risk, contributing to cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and respiratory illnesses. Using data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study across 204 countries, this analysis examined the burden of SHS exposure through Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) across different socio-demographic regions. The findings show notable sex and regional disparities: ischemic heart disease caused a higher burden among males, while diabetes and stroke affected females more. COPD had the highest burden in lower-middle SDI regions...