Synthetic opioids (SO) are a major risk for public health across the world. These drugs can be divided into 2
categories, pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical fentanyls. A new generation of SO has emerged on the drug
market since 2010. North America is currently facing an opioid epidemic of morbi-mortality, caused by overprescription
of opioids, illegally diverted prescribed medicines, the increasing use of heroin and the emergence
of SO. Furthermore, this opioid crisis is also seen in Europe. SO are new psychoactive substances characterized
by different feature such as easy availability on the Internet, low price, purity, legality, and lack of detection in
laboratory tests. They have not been approved or are not recommended for human use. Opioid misuse is associated
with somatic and psychiatric complications. For many substances, limited pharmacological information
is available, increasing the risk of harmful adverse events. Health actors and the general population need to be
clearly informed of the potential risks and consequences of the diffusion and use of SO.