GENEVA, Switzerland – July 2021: The World Health Organization (WHO) evaluates the dependence-producing properties and potential harm to health of psychoactive substances. Recommendations from the WHO regarding international control under the International Drug Control Conventions are made to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and are subject to a vote by the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND).
Five new psychoactive substances (NPS) will be considered for critical review at the 44th meeting of the WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD), including one synthetic cannabinoid, two synthetic opioids and two stimulants. The plant-based NPS kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) together with mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, two substances occurring in kratom, will be considered for pre-review, as well as Phenibut, a substance used in medicine.
The ECDD meeting will be held in a virtual format from 11-15 October 2021. Analysis and data from UNODC’s Early Warning Advisory on NPS (EWA) has been made available to WHO for the prioritization of NPS by the ECDD.
Synthetic Cannabinoids
- 4F-MDMB-BICA
Synthetic Opioids
- Brorphine
- Metonitazene
Stimulants
- Eutylone
- Benzylone
For more information, please see:
44th ECDD List of Substances Under Review
World Health Organization 44th Expert Committee on Drug Dependence
Global SMART Update Vol. 21 “Understanding the global opioid crisis”
***The Spanish translation of this news item is made possible thanks to a collaboration with OAS/CICAD, a partner of the UNODC EWA.***