“These substances can emerge quickly, spread rapidly, and cause severe harm before systems have time to react,” Lorraine Nolan, executive director of EUDA, said while presenting the report. “Some are so potent that just a few grams can represent thousands of potentially lethal doses.”
In its annual European Drug Report, the agency warns of the growing availability of new illegal drugs. In 2025, the agency logged record numbers of new psychoactive substances at a rate of around one a week, bringing the total number it is monitoring to 1,050.
The agency also warns that people who use drugs in Europe are facing “new health risks.” Overdose deaths reached a record high — at least 7,600 fatalities in the EU in 2024, mostly caused by a combination of opioids and other substances, up from 7,500 in 2023 and 7,100 in 2022.
“Drug markets are evolving at speed, with the variety of substances on Europe’s streets becoming ever more unpredictable,” Nolan said. “This raises the risk: People may be taking high-potency drugs, often without knowing it.”
Meanwhile, the illicit drugs market is becoming more complex with criminals finding new ways to avoid being detected.
The report comes as leaders prepare to discuss organized crime and drug trafficking at next week’s European Council meeting of EU leaders, as some port cities grapple with gang violence related to drug and people trafficking.