Factual overview of current trends in drug
consumption, types of drugs and their physical
impact
Drug Policy Reform - Parliamentary Seminar
Paul Griffiths, Scientific Director of the EMCDDA,
28 October 2013
EMCDDA: The EU drug information agency
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Collecting and analysing existing data
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Structured reporting tools (national reports,
structured questionnaires and standard tables)
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Network of 30 focal points: 28 MS, Croatia, Turkey
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Cooperation with European and international
organisations and third countries
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Improving data-comparison methods
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Guidelines and standards, ad hoc working groups,
technical meetings, …
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Disseminating data
emcdda.europa.eu
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EMCDDA: Areas of work
Drug situation
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Epidemiology (drug situation including five key epidemiological indicators)
Supply and market information
Trends
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New drugs and polydrug use
New threats and developments
Responses
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Prevention, treatment, harm reduction and social reintegration
Supply reduction activities
Best practice
Policies, laws and economic issues
emcdda.europa.eu
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The European drug policy landscape in 2013
After 30+ years with heroin centre stage in Europe —
there are now signs of a decline
The use of other ‘old drugs’ is overall stable but with
some new developments
New psychoactive substances are on the increase
emcdda.europa.eu
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Cannabis use in Europe
77 million adults ever used cannabis
15.4 million young adults used last year
3 million daily cannabis users
Young males
over represented
emcdda.europa.eu
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Cannabis – rising treatment demand
Second most
frequently reported
drug – all treatment
clients
Cannabis
Cannabis
emcdda.europa.eu
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Cannabis market changes: from resin to herb
2001
2011
Herb
Resin
emcdda.europa.eu
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Opioids
Europe’s biggest drug problem
1.4 million problem opioid users
Heroin use – signs of a decline
Opioids >
Fewer new clients
entering treatment
Heroin users in treatment
Ageing treatment
cohort
Less heroin
injecting
emcdda.europa.eu
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Increasing treatment provision
About 50% of problem opioid users
(730 000) received substitution
treatment in 2011
emcdda.europa.eu
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Heroin market changes
Decreasing seizures
Acute shortages in some
countries late 2010/early 2011
Replacements: other opioids,
amphetamines, synthetic cathinones,
benzodiazepines,
Fentanyl — a particular concern
emcdda.europa.eu
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Stimulants
2.5 million young Europeans used cocaine in the last year
1.8 million used ecstasy
1.7 million used amphetamines
Stimulants: increasingly complex market
Stable or declining trends
individually but not collectively
More innovation in production
MDMA bounce back
Methamphetamine on the rise
emcdda.europa.eu
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Cocaine decline (high-prevalence countries)
Stimulants >
• Recent surveys
• Treatment
presentations
• Hospital emergencies
• Deaths
emcdda.europa.eu
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Number of cocaine seizures and quantity seized
emcdda.europa.eu
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Number of ecstasy seizures and tablets seized
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Signs of more methamphetamine
Amphetamine
Methamphetamine
emcdda.europa.eu
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Lifetime use of 'legal highs' in the EU
15–24 year olds, percentage by country, n > 12000
In certain countries some new substances that imitate the effects of illicit drugs
are being sold as legal substances in the form of - for example - powders,
tablets/pills or herbs. Have you ever used such substances?
emcdda.europa.eu
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European Union mechanism on new psychoactive
substances
Information exchange /
Early warning
Risk assessment
Decision-making on control
emcdda.europa.eu
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Risk assessment of NPS
Formalised guidelines
Health risks, social risks, organised crime
Diffusion potential
4-MA (2012) – 24 deaths
Controlled EU - Council Decision March 2013
5-IT (2013) – 21 deaths
Controlled EU - Council Decision October 2013
emcdda.europa.eu
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4 new joints report under preparation
• Methoxetamine – a dissociative
• AH-7921 – an opioid
• 25I-NBOMe – a stimulant
• MDPV – a hallucinogen
emcdda.europa.eu
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Factual overview of current trends in drug
consumption, types of drugs and their physical
impact
Drug Policy Reform - Parliamentary Seminar
Paul Griffiths, Scientific Director of the EMCDDA,
28 October 2013