‘Jihadi pill’ will spread beyond the Middle East

Subject

The expansion of Captagon.

Significance

The seven years of civil war in Syria have seen the production and smuggling of the amphetamine Captagon in that country rise substantially. Concern is growing that migration flows and increasingly easy availability will make the drug -- already popular across the Middle East -- fashionable in Europe and potentially beyond.

Impacts

• The manufacture of Captagon could help perpetuate Syria’s war, supporting insurgent operations and corrupting the state.
• The shift of production from Lebanon to Syria will encourage larger-scale operations, boosting global supply.
• The spread of Captagon use in areas of heavy migration in Europe may exacerbate ethnic tensions.