The global NPS market continues to evolve rapidly, with new substances entering the market and shifting preferences.

• By 2025, the total number of NPS identified by Member States since 2005 grew close to 1,500 which – despite the scheduling of new substances in 2025 – is more than four times the number of substances under international control.
• The number of NPS currently on the global market reached 755 in 2024, a new record high, up from 582 substances in 2023. Preliminary data, however, do not suggest that this upward trend continued into 2025.
• In 2024, synthetic cannabinoids were the most frequently reported substance group while in terms of effect groups synthetic stimulants were (mostly cathinones and phenethylamines).
• The number of NPS identified on the market increased practically across all substance groups in 2024, except for fentanyl analogues (a group of highly potent synthetic opioids) which continued their downward trend.
• While the share of fentanyl analogues among all synthetic opioids continued to decline, the share of both nitazenes and orphines increased in 2024.
• The largest number of new NPS identified for the first time in 2024 concerned synthetic cannabinoids, followed by synthetic opioids.
• The NPS market continues to be in constant flux: overall 118 new NPS emerged on the market in 2024 while 232 NPS, which had been previously identified, were no longer reported to have been on global market over the 2019-2024 period.