LAGOS: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has called for an urgent, coordinated and multidisciplinary global response to the growing threat posed by synthetic drugs.
Dr Justice Tettey, Chief of the Drugs, Laboratory and Scientific Services Branch of UNODC, made the call on Tuesday during the third annual open-ended intergovernmental meeting on the global synthetic drug problem, hosted in Vienna and monitored virtually.
The meeting focused on integrated international responses across multilateral cooperation, counternarcotics interventions, early warning systems and health responses.
Tettey said the world was witnessing the emergence of new psychoactive substances at an unprecedented rate, with UNODC currently monitoring about 1,400 such substances globally.
“They are increasing at the rate of about two new substances a week,” he said.
He noted that trafficking methods had become more sophisticated, driven by the high potency and profitability of synthetic drugs, with criminal networks exploiting legitimate trade routes, supply chains and digital platforms.
“These networks continuously evolve, exploit legal loopholes and technological advancements, making traditional drug control responses increasingly inadequate,” Tettey said.
He said the impact of synthetic drugs cut across public health, security, criminal justice systems, border management, financial systems and, in some cases, governance.
According to him, the UNODC synthetic drug strategy was built on the need for urgent, coordinated and multilateral action.
Tettey stressed that while synthetic drugs posed a common global challenge, regional dynamics differed, requiring tailored solutions.
He emphasised the role of science in effective responses, noting that consistent application of scientific approaches would enable evidence-based policymaking and law enforcement.
He reaffirmed UNODC’s commitment to supporting member states through scientific expertise, integrated programmes and international networks.
