Synthetic drugs boom
May 22, 2014
THE United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime has warned of a
synthetic drugs boom, with new
psychoactive substances (NPS)
flooding the market.
The 2014 Global Synthetic
Drugs Assessment report said the
expansion of global amphetaminetype
stimulants (ATS) was of
increasing concern and the
presence of NPS was growing on
illicit drug markets.
The report said the use of NPS
that posed a health threat had
grown “rapidly” over the past
10 years and there had been
increasing reports of the availability
and manufacture of these
substances.
NPS had emerged in every region
of the world including Australia,
it said, and was present in 94
countries in total.
“Surging” ATS seizures pointed
to a rapid expansion of the global
market, the report said, with total
seizures rising by more than 80% to
more than 135 tons in 2012.
ATS was being trafficked to
Australia, with 3% of ATS seized at
Western European and Japanese
airports originating from West
Africa headed for this country, the
report said.
CLICK HERE to access the report.
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