The author argues that synthetic drugs, or "man-made" illicit drugs produced from precursor chemicals, are inevitable due to their advantages over traditional plant-based drugs. Despite the rise of synthetic alternatives, plant-like drugs like cocaine, heroin, and marijuana continue to thrive. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, cocaine production reached record levels in 2023, making it the world's fastest-growing illicit drug market. Cocaine is so widely available that some European drug trafficking organizations have begun to stockpile it until prices recover. Meanwhile, marijuana is experiencing a boom in the U.S. with over 70 percent of Americans now living in states where marijuana is legal for medical or recreational use, and nearly 80 percent live in counties with at least one dispensary. The author suggests that global partners need to evolve their strategies to address threats posed by new synthetic drugs and threats to global drug trafficking.