There are significant regional differences in the global drug trade, and different parts of the world have different drug preferences, but these regions all share one common feature: the prevalence of synthetic drugs.
Synthetic drugs are future Prohibition of drug trafficking. Cocaine, heroin, marijuana and other plant-based drugs are prohibited as they require large areas of land and favorable climate control. Anywhere All you need is a little bit of capital and some knowledge of chemistry to get in.
The opioid crisis that began in the United States is now sweeping the world, and no one is safe. Earlier this month, the UK's National Crime Agency release Publishing its annual serious and organized crime threat assessment, the department issued an ominous warning: “Taking drugs has never been more dangerous”, mainly due to the rise of drugs such as Nitazen, a synthetic opioid 50 times more potent than fentanyl.
These drugs have caused a 60% increase in drug-related deaths, a trend that is likely to continue. Afghanistan ban It focuses on poppy cultivation, the main source of heroin for the UK and Europe.
While the UK is facing a surge in Nitazens, Africa is facing a different but equally worrying trend. The emergence of “Kush” is frightening. blend Abuse of drugs including marijuana, synthetic drugs like fentanyl and tramadol, and crushed human bones has led to an epidemic of addiction and overdose deaths.
In April, Sierra Leone's president called the emergence of synthetic drugs an “existential threat.” Declared a national emergency To draw attention to the issue, the situation is so dire that the cemetery is asking for help in preventing young people from digging up bones to use in the mixture.
In South America, authorities are sounding the alarm about “pink cocaine,” an increasingly prevalent drug that, despite its name, contains very little cocaine. Also known as “tusi” or “tusibi,” pink cocaine is actually made up of an unpredictable mixture of synthetic drugs, including ketamine, a fast-acting anesthetic that causes seizures in actors. Matthew Perry's This powerful drug cocktail first appeared in Colombia a few years ago, but is now widely abused throughout South America and has recently been Gaining momentum In the United States
Another synthetic drug, counterfeit Captagon, has exploded across the Middle East. Also known aspoor man's cocaineCaptagon is a cheap, highly addictive stimulant used recreationally. support ISIS violent terrorist activities. From 2019 to 2022, authorities in the region More One billion Captagon tablets, many of which were traced back to laboratories in Lebanon and Syria.
Sadly, the world's most populous regions are no exception. United Nations Office on Drugs and CrimeIn 2023, authorities seized more than 190 tons of methamphetamine in East and Southeast Asia, the highest amount ever. At the same time, new synthetic drugs containing ketamine, MDMA and benzodiazepines, such as “happy water” and “party lollipops,” have emerged, further complicating counter-narcotics efforts in the region.
Addressing the global shift to synthetic drugs requires innovative thinking and stronger international cooperation.Global Coalition to Counter the Synthetic Drug ThreatIt provides a useful framework for confronting this common challenge and promoting greater urgency at the international level.
First, in this ever-changing landscape, the global community needs to build a much larger and more capable drug surveillance and detection system similar to the World Health Organization's infectious disease identification efforts. After all, you can't solve a problem if you don't know what it is.
This will require further investment in new technologies and public health organizations, especially in countries that lack the resources and infrastructure to effectively monitor emerging drug threats.
The international community should also build on existing drug control treaties and agreements to develop universal, evidence-based strategies across the entire continuum of care.
Drug supply reduction remains a key pillar of the international drug regime, but it must be expanded to include best practices in drug prevention and awareness, harm reduction, and treatment and recovery. As our understanding of drug use improves, we need to ensure that access to best practices is not limited to any particular country or region.
Finally, countries around the world need to recognize that while a “whole of government” approach is necessary to address the complexity and scale of the global drug trade, it is not sufficient. Rather, today's crisis requires a “whole of society” approach.
While governments will continue to play a key role in shaping the response to the opioid crisis, they must also partner with the private sector, nonprofits, and individuals to help develop innovative solutions, foster grassroots movements, and address specific community needs.
Synthetic drugs are no longer just an American problem. Other countries have synthetic drug problems, and others don't even know it yet. The worst consequences of this revolution can be avoided, but only if the world acts quickly, carefully, and together.
There's no time to waste.
Jim Crotty is an adjunct professor at the American University School of Public Policy, a former Deputy Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and an active member of the Global Initiative to Combat Transnational Organized Crime’s Expert Network.
