NCJ Number
247360
Date Published
2014
Length
88 pages
Annotation
This report presents an assessment on the global distribution and use of synthetic drugs for the period 2008-2012.
Abstract
This report, prepared by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, presents an assessment on the global distribution, sale, and use of synthetic drugs for the period 2008-2012. The synthetic drugs covered by this report include both amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) and new psychoactive substances (NPS). Highlights of the report's findings include the following: a significant increase in total ATS seizures was seen worldwide in 2011 and 2012 due primarily to the increase in seizures in East and South-East Asia and North America; amphetamine is the main ATS used in the Middle East and amphetamine seizures have been rising steadily, accounting for more than 55 percent of the drug seized worldwide; and West Africa has become a prominent region for methamphetamine manufacture which is then trafficked to East and South-East Asia. Additional areas covered by the report include the growing global market for ATS, recent trends in precursor chemicals used in the manufacture of ATS and synthetic drugs, the rapid expansion of NPS, the diverse markets for NPS, the growing market for ketamine in East and South-East Asia, and the increase in global monitoring and information sharing. The final section of the report highlights specific findings by region: Africa; East and South-East Asia, Oceania, and the Pacific; Europe; the Middle East; North America; South America, Central America, and the Caribbean; and Western and Central Asia. The final section of the report examines precursor trends and manufacturing methods used for the various drugs. Tables, maps, and figures