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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
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Results for drug abuse and addiction (europe)
9 results foundAuthor: Eisenbach-Stangl, Irmgard Title: Two Worlds of Drug Consumption in Late Modern Societies Summary: Europeans belong to the largest consumers of illicit drugs, absorbing about one fifth of the global heroin, cocaine and cannabis supply, as well as one third of ecstasy production (UNODC World Drug Report, 2008). However, the vast majority of Europeans have never tried any illicit substance. In popular perception, illicit drugs still represent alien cultures challenging traditional European patterns, including consumption of our favourite drugs – alcoholic beverages. Illicit drug-taking, no matter what type of drug and its amount, is considered an evil in itself; it is regarded as a serious transgression of social norms. This perception is perpetuated and reinforced by legal norms which – in most European countries – penalize a wide range of behaviours associated with illicit drugs. As a rule, this includes the possession and consumption of illegal drugs. Parallel to that, most European countries have established extended drug services dealing with drug-related problems in a more assimilative way. A crucial issue has been how many people transgress social and legal norms. Therefore, the general public, policy-makers, politicians and drug professionals alike demand, first of all, information on the prevalence of drug consumption. The question of what and how much they consume seems to be almost irrelevant. Only a few years ago the Global Workshop on Drug Information Systems (2002) identified the need for improved methods of estimating the quantities of illicit drugs consumed by users to complement the increasing sophistication and reliability of data on drug production and on drug seizure. Another important gap in the literature is the absence of reliable information on the costs of drug consumption at individual level. This knowledge is crucial to understanding the economic (and criminal) behaviour of individual consumers which includes not only drug purchasing but also continuous efforts to generate money to buy drugs. To fill these knowledge gaps, a project was carried out by the European Centre in collaboration with UNODC and financed by the Austrian federal ministry of European and international affairs. The European monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug addiction acted as observer. The overall goal of the project was to contribute to the development of useful and appropriate models of estimating drug consumption. The objectives were to assess consumption patterns of five main drugs – heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, ecstasy, cannabis – including the amounts consumed, and to assess consumption costs for each of the drugs. The study was based on data gathered from two different samples of drug users in six cities in six European union countries. Details: Vienna: European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, 2011. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Policiy Brief: Accessed July 8, 2011 at: http://www.euro.centre.org/data/1263572258_23948.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Europe URL: http://www.euro.centre.org/data/1263572258_23948.pdf Shelf Number: 122014 Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)Drug Abuse and CrimeDrug Abuse PolicyDrug Policy |
Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction Title: 2010 Annual Report on the State of the Drugs Problem in Europe Summary: This report on the state of the drugs problem in Europe presents the EMCDDA's yearly overview of the drug phenomenon. This is an essential reference book for policymakers, specialists and practitioners in the drugs field or indeed anyone seeking the latest findings on drugs in Europe. Published every autumn, the report contains non-confidential data supported by an extensive range of figures. Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2010. 108p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 16, 2011 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_120104_EN_EMCDDA_AR2010_EN.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Europe URL: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_120104_EN_EMCDDA_AR2010_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 122401 Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)Drug TreatmentSubstance Abuse |
Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs Title: Understanding the 'Spice' Phenomenon Summary: Smokable herbal mixtures under the brand name ‘Spice’ are known to have been sold on the Internet and in various specialised shops since at least 2006 and metadata reports (Google Insights web searches) suggest that those products may have been available as early as 2004. Although advertised as an ‘exotic incense blend which releases a rich aroma’ and ‘not for human consumption’, when smoked, ‘Spice’ products have been reported by some users to have effects similar to those of cannabis. There are a number of products marketed under the ‘Spice’ brand — these include, but are not limited to: Spice Silver, Spice Gold, Spice Diamond, Spice Arctic Synergy, Spice Tropical Synergy, Spice Egypt, etc. In addition, there are many other herbal preparations for which the claim is made that they have a similar make-up to ‘Spice’ — e.g. Yucatan Fire, Smoke, Sence, ChillX, Highdi’s Almdröhner, Earth Impact, Gorillaz, Skunk, Genie, Galaxy Gold, Space Truckin, Solar Flare, Moon Rocks, Blue Lotus, Aroma, Scope, etc. It should be noted that the speed of innovation in this area means that any list of products is likely to become quickly outdated. Following a report from the Swedish Reitox national focal point (NFP), of a small number (around 10) of seizures of ‘Spice’ products in 2007, the Reitox early-warning system (EWS) on new psychoactive substances began, from the start of 2008, formally monitoring these products. However, despite various media reports and users’ accounts on the Internet, little verifiable information on the psychoactive and other effects of ‘Spice’ was officially reported to the EMCDDA prior to December 2008. Towards the end of 2008, forensic investigations were undertaken by German and Austrian authorities in order to identify the psychoactive ingredients of ‘Spice’. On 19 December 2008, the Austrian NFP formally notified to the EMCDDA the new psychoactive substance JWH-018 (Naphthalen-1-yl-(1-pentylindol-3-yl)methanone) (1) — a synthetic cannabinoid receptor (CB) agonist (2) that had been identified in ‘Spice’ products in Austria by AGES PharmMed (3). The compound was detected in at least three products (Spice Gold, Silver and Diamond). Information received from the German NFP reported that JWH-018 had also been identified a few days earlier (on 15 December) in ‘Spice’ products in Germany by THC-Pharm (Steup, 2008) (4). JWH-018 is a synthetic substance first synthesized in 1995 for experimental purposes. It is a naphthoylindole, which belongs to the aminoalkylindole family (Wiley et al., 1998; Huffman, 2009; Chin et al., 1999), i.e. the chemical structure differs substantially from Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but it produces similar effects in animal experiments and has been reported to be more potent than THC; see Uchiyama, 2009 and Auwärter et al., 2009 for analytical details. JWH-018 has also been reported by Poland, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Finland and Ireland. Details: Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2009. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2012 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_80086_EN_Spice%20Thematic%20paper%20%E2%80%94%20final%20version.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Europe URL: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_80086_EN_Spice%20Thematic%20paper%20%E2%80%94%20final%20version.pdf Shelf Number: 125579 Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)Psychoactive Drugs |
Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction Title: Travel and Drug Use in Europe: A Short Review Summary: Recent decades have seen a growth in travel and tourism abroad because of cheap air fares and holiday packages. This has been accompanied by a relaxation of border controls, especially within parts of Europe participating in the Schengen Agreement. As some people may be more inclined to use illicit substances during holiday periods and some may even choose to travel to destinations that are associated with drug use — a phenomenon sometimes referred to as ‘drug tourism’ — this means that from a European drug policy perspective the issue of drug use and travel has become more important. This Thematic paper examines travellers and drug use, with a focus on Europeans travelling within Europe, although some other relevant destinations are also included. For the purpose of this publication, a ‘traveller’ is defined as someone who goes abroad for reasons ranging from a weekend visit to a music festival or a short holiday, through to backpacking for longer periods. Using drugs in a foreign country can be associated with additional risks and consequences. For example, while drug use anywhere may lead to adverse health consequences, using drugs abroad can be associated with increased risks due to additional uncertainties regarding the composition and purity of the substances and the lack of knowledge of local health and social services. In addition, under the influence of drugs, tourists may also engage in behaviours that put them at risk of various medical conditions, accidents and risky sexual practices. They also risk arrest and imprisonment for possessing, using, selling or smuggling drugs into and out of a country. Local populations may also be negatively affected. While visitors bring income to the host countries, drug use by some may lead to antisocial behaviour and public nuisance, an increase in those requiring health and social services, and the presence of gangs controlling the drug trade, thus putting pressure on the local law enforcement, health and social services. Little is known about the issue of drug use by travellers. This Thematic paper seeks to increase the interest in this topic both in terms of research and of developing adequate responses to problems related to drugs and travel. The paper aims to shed some light on this topic by investigating the following five questions: What is the profile of those who travel and use drugs? Which destinations have been associated with drug use among travellers? What is the prevalence of drug use among travellers? What are the risks associated with using drugs while travelling? What is the potential for prevention interventions? Information for this publication was collected from online reference resources, such as PubMed and Scopus, and with the help of Internet search engines. In addition, six Reitox national focal points (1) provided information about drugs and travel in their countries and about drug use among their citizens while the latter are travelling. These countries are presented as examples in the following pages but they should not be considered as necessarily having more extensive travel and drug use problems than other European countries. Details: Lisbon: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2012. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2012 at: http://www.ofdt.fr/BDD/publications/docs/OEDT1209travellers.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Europe URL: http://www.ofdt.fr/BDD/publications/docs/OEDT1209travellers.pdf Shelf Number: 126328 Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)Drug Abuse PolicyDrug ControlTourists |
Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) Title: Cost and Financing of Drug Treatment Services in Europe: An Exploratory Study Summary: Recent estimates suggest that, each year, over 1 million Europeans receive treatment for problems related to the use of illicit drugs (EMCDDA, 2010). Of these, more than half receive opioid substitution treatment for problems related to opioid drugs, primarily heroin. The current levels of provision of drug treatment services in the European Union are the result of an expansion of services that has taken place during the last two decades. For much of that time, services expanded against a background of a growing drug problem, and one in which economic conditions were largely favourable. Now, however, in an era of cuts in government expenditure, managing the costs of treatment and ensuring the highest quality and best outcomes for the lowest possible cost are priorities. While measuring and improving drug treatment outcomes have been relatively high on the research agenda in recent years, the cost of treatment has received far less research attention. Addressing this information gap is likely to have a number of benefits for both decision-makers and treatment providers. On the one hand, service providers need accurate information on the costs of service provision in order to plan the allocation of resources. On the other, decision-makers and funders can use such information as a means of cost control, for example, by comparing costs of similar services or those of alternative providers of similar services. Finally, as a part of a fuller economic analysis, information on service costs is needed to determine the cost-effectiveness of interventions and treatment programmes. The cost of drug treatment in Europe is looked at from two main angles in this Selected issue. First, it presents an overview of the main sources of drug treatment funding and the financing mechanisms that are employed in European countries. The available data are presented on who is paying for drug treatment, how funding is organised, and how funding is distributed among different treatment modalities. This is followed by an analysis of the unit costs of different types of drug treatment. Costs related to opioid substitution treatment including the costs of substitution medication for a number of European countries are presented here. This publication keeps a tight focus on the cost of drug treatment and does not attempt to undertake a broader economic analysis of the healthcare and social costs relating to illicit drugs. Exploring the cost and financing of drug treatment services in Europe This Selected issue represents a first attempt to provide a European overview of drug treatment costs, and individual countries are brought into focus to illustrate specific aspects of the analysis. This subject is both topical and methodologically challenging. The varying availability of information as well as the complexity of funding arrangements mean that, at best, only very incomplete estimates can be made of the costs of (or expenditure on) drug treatment in Europe. Details: Luxembourg: Publications Offi ce of the European Union, 2011. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Selected Issue 2011: Accessed September 27, 2012 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_143682_EN_TDSI11001ENC.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Europe URL: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_143682_EN_TDSI11001ENC.pdf Shelf Number: 126480 Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)Drug Abuse TreatmentIllicit Drugs |
Author: TNS Political and Social Title: Young People and Drugs Summary: Drug use and drug-related problems continue to be a major concern for EU citizens, as well as being a significant public health and public safety issue. Around one quarter of the adult population is estimated to have used illicit drugs at some point in their lifetime, with cannabis the most commonly used substance. Drug experimentation often starts in the school years, and it is estimated that one in four 15-16 year-olds have used an illicit drug. Although progress has been made in recent years, drug overdose remains one of the major causes of avoidable mortality in young citizens. In recent years, the use of 'legal-highs' - currently legal substances that mimic the effect of illicit drugs - has become increasingly popular, and the European Commission is working to strengthen the EU's ability to reduce their availability, as part of an overall drug control framework . This survey builds on the work of previous reports (Special Eurobarometer 172 in 2002, Flash Eurobarometer 158 in 2004, Flash Eurobarometer 233 in 2008, and Flash EB 330 in 2011) in exploring young people's perceptions of and attitudes towards drugs, including: - Self-reported use of cannabis and new substances that imitate the effects of illicit drugs. - Sources of information about drugs, including their effects and the associated risks. - Perceived ease of availability of drugs. ▪ The perceived health risks associated with occasional or regular use of various drugs, including alcohol and tobacco. - The appropriate legal status of a range of currently illegal drugs, as well as alcohol and tobacco. - Opinions about the best ways for authorities to tackle drug problems. Results are analysed at the overall EU28 level and (where sample sizes permit) at country level, and by a range of socio-demographic groups. Where possible, comparisons are made with the results from 2011. Details: Luxembourg: European Commission, 2014. 162p. Source: Internet Resource: Flash Eurobarometer 401: Accessed September 4, 2014 at: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_401_en.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Europe URL: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_401_en.pdf Shelf Number: 133173 Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)Drug OffendersIllicit DrugsSubstance Abuse |
Author: Eurasian Harm Reduction Network Title: Overdose prevention services upon release from prison: Best practices from Scotland, Denmark, Italy and Spain Summary: This 'Fact Sheet' reports on good practice models in four European Union (EU) countries - Scotland, Denmark, Italy and Spain (more specifically, the Catalonia region) - on overdose prevention and management programs upon release from prison. Information gathered includes programme descriptions; evidence of effectiveness; functioning; and involvement of people who use drugs. A separate, complementary mapping report describing the situation in the target countries (Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland and Romania) regarding overdose prevention services upon release from prisons was also produced within Workstream 3: 'Overdose prevention services upon release from prison: Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Romania'. Details: Vilnius: Eurasian Harm Reduction Network (EHRN), 2014. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 17, 2014 at: http://harm-reduction.org/sites/default/files/pdf/fact_sheet_best_practices_overdose_prevention.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Europe URL: http://harm-reduction.org/sites/default/files/pdf/fact_sheet_best_practices_overdose_prevention.pdf Shelf Number: 133803 Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)Drug Abuse TreatmentDrug Offender TreatmentDrug OverdosesPrisoner ReentrySubstance Abuse Treatment |
Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) Title: Drug use and its consequences in the Western Balkans: 2006-2014 Summary: This report focuses on Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia - all current candidate and potential candidate countries to the European Union (EU) in the Western Balkans. This is a region that has been characterized by considerable political and social transition since the early 1990s, including armed conflicts, intraregional migration and the displacement of large populations. Such situations can generate conditions conducive to a 'risk environment' for illicit drug use, particularly problem drug use, and related health and social consequences. Over the last 10-15 years, cooperation with the EU has developed at bilateral and regional levels, with the support of specific EU programmes such as Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation (CARDS) between 2000 and 2006 and the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) from 2006 until today. As part of this process, closer cooperation and coordination have progressively been achieved in the area of drugs, and substantial progress has been made in recent years on the definition of national drug strategies and the setting up of national drug coordination mechanisms, including the establishment of national drug information systems and focal points. This report draws on those achievements and, in particular, on the data gathered and analysed in the national reports of Western Balkan countries to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). It aims to provide a regional overview of the dynamics of illicit drug use and associated health and social consequences. Details: Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2015. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2015 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_236339_EN_TD0215196ENN.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_236339_EN_TD0215196ENN.pdf Shelf Number: 135361 Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe)Drug Abuse PolicyIllegal Drugs |
Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) Title: European Drug Report 2019: Trends and Developments Summary: The Trends and Developments report presents a top-level overview of the drug phenomenon in Europe, covering drug supply, use and public health problems as well as drug policy and responses. Together with the online Statistical Bulletin and 30 Country Drug Reports, it makes up the 2019 European Drug Report package. Table of contents -- Preface - Introductory note and acknowledgements - Commentary - Chapter 1: Drug supply and the market Chapter 2: Drug use prevalence and trends Chapter 3: Drug-related harms and responses Annex: National data tables Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2019. 95p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed June 6, 2019 at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/edr/trends-developments/2019_en Year: 2019 Country: Europe URL: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/edr/trends-developments/2019_en Shelf Number: 156230 Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Europe) Drug Abuse and Crime Drug Abuse Policy Drug Control Drug Offenders Illicit Drugs |