The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Early Warning Advisory (EWA) on new psychoactive substances (NPS) was launched in June 2013 as a response to the emergence of NPS at the global level. The EWA aims to monitor, analyze, and report trends on NPS as a basis for effective evidence-based policy responses. It also serves as a repository for information/data on these substances and a platform for providing technical assistance, tools, and relevant analytical information for national drug testing and toxicology laboratories in member states.
In 2016, the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem decided to prioritize the most harmful, persistent, and prevalent NPS for international action. Following this decision, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in its resolution 60/4, “Preventing and responding to the adverse health consequences and risks associated with the use of new psychoactive substances,” mandated the development of the toxicology portal of the UNODC Early Warning Advisory on NPS.
The Tox-Portal is an online tool developed in collaboration with The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT). It collects toxicological data related to the use of NPS at a global level directly from toxicology laboratories. Using data from post-mortem, clinical, and other casework, it is possible to identify recent developments regarding health threats posed by NPS. The toxicology portal allows laboratory personnel to search submitted cases and identify the most recent NPS (and related analytical information) that have been reported globally or in their country and region.