THE EVOLVING THREAT OF NEW PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES (NPS)

New psychoactive substances (NPS) have become a worldwide phenomenon, and there are now over 134 countries and territories that have reported NPS worldwide. Since December 2021, there have been confirmations made by the UNODC Early Warning Advisory concerning EWA of NPS of more than 1124 substances. NPS into one of four groups: synthetic stimulants, synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic hallucinogens and synthetic depressants. NPS epidemiology is under-developed, and differences in definition and methodologies means that it is difficult to gain accurate estimate with some research suggests that NPS are associated with harms in key populations such as people who are homeless or prisoners. An unprecedented increase in the number of NPSs in the last 5 years. NPSs are a new multi-disciplinary research field with the main emphasis in terms of forensic identification due to their adverse health effects, which can range from minimal to life threatening experiences.