Synthetic opioids: can Europe keep up with a new drug created every week?

In 2025, Europe saw an alarming rise in synthetic opioids, with 50 new drugs detected, many of them highly potent and dangerous. This surge has raised serious concerns about the EU’s ability to keep up with a drug creation rate of one new substance every week. As these synthetic opioids become more prevalent, they pose significant risks to public health and challenge existing drug control strategies, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to stay ahead of this evolving threat.