Synthetic drugs surge threatens West Africa's stability, report warns
West Africa faces an escalating synthetic drug crisis, with man-made substances like nitazenes and synthetic opioids flooding markets and overwhelming health systems. The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime report reveals a fragmented, decentralised market replacing traditional plant-based drugs, driving overdoses, mental health crises, and community breakdown. Young people bear the brunt, with two countries declaring states of emergency since 2024. Low barriers to entry, online anonymity, and global supply chains enable new criminal actors to profit, while forensic gaps and resource shortages cripple responses. The crisis demands urgent regional coordination to disrupt trafficking, enhance testing, and scale treatment.