Europe is facing a growing threat from potent synthetic substances, new drug mixtures, and evolving usage patterns, particularly after the Taliban imposed a ban on opium poppy cultivation, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) warned in its latest report published on Tuesday.

A new report from European Union (EU) agencies underscores how extreme drug-related violence is straining local communities and society, while also highlighting how corruption is facilitating drug trafficking and undermining the rule of law.