The EMCDDA and the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) are pleased to open registration for two upcoming joint events in 2022: the European Drugs Winter School (EDWS) and the European Drugs Summer School (EDSS)

The two-week online Winter School (14th to 25th of February 2022) prepares professionals and students to meet the complex policy challenges that face Europe and the World in the field of drugs. Teaching staff includes scientific experts from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), researchers, practitioners and policymakers.

This edition will have...

This report presents the current status of alcohol consumption, alcohol-attributable harms and the implementation of alcohol control policies in the WHO European Region, using available data from 2010, 2016 and 2019.

A detailed overview is provided of the implementation of alcohol policies described in the 10 action areas of the European Action Plan to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol 2012–2020 (EAPA), including the current status of implementation of the five action areas of the WHO-led SAFER initiative:

1. Strengthen restrictions on alcohol availability;
2. Advance and enforce drink–driving...

This report provides a technical review of the current body of knowledge regarding synthetic cannabinoids that are monitored by the the EU Early Warning System.

The aim of this report is to strengthen situational awareness of synthetic cannabinoids in Europe and to help stakeholders prepare for, and respond to, public health and social threats caused by such substances.

The cocaine market presents a clear threat at the global level. Well-defined locations of production in South America and large consumer markets in the Americas and Europe lead to trafficking routes from a circumscribed origin to specific, even if far-flung, destinations. While some parts of the world play a crucial role as transit regions, the routes, modalities and networks employed by criminal actors continue to evolve, diversify and become more efficient. The increasingly globalized, interconnected, digitalized and technologically sophisticated nature of society, as well as a growing...

Opioid overdose deaths can be prevented through timely administration of naloxone, a potent opioid antagonist drug that rapidly reverses the effects of opioid analgesics by binding to the opioid receptors in the central nervous system.

Because of its effectiveness, naloxone is used by emergency personnel worldwide.

In this topic overview, EMCDDA discusses take-home naloxone.

The webpage covers:

• overview of evidence
• state of play
• country profiles
• related resources

Abstract

The goal of this study was to analyze the prevalence and pattern of alcohol consumption (frequency of consumption, average daily consumption, and risky consumption) before and during confinement due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the adult population and based on gender.

Methods: Data from 3779 individuals were collected via a set of online surveys. The AUDIT alcohol consumption questions (AUDIT-C) were used to measure the frequency of consumption, the average daily consumption, intensive consumption, risky consumption, and standard drink units.

Results: During...

People who inject drugs (PWID) are a key population for the elimination of hepatitis C in Europe, and increasing their access to HCV testing and care is a goal in European and national hepatitis C policies. Despite this, HCV testing remains low among people who inject drugs and effective approaches to promote testing as the first element of a cascade of care are particularly needed.

EMCDDA has put together a toolkit to increase access to testing and care in drug services.

The toolkit includes:

• Assessing the needs: a step-by-step guide
• Hepatitis C: new models of care for drug services
• Kn...

Summary

This publication provides an overview of current knowledge and the latest developments in the field of drug use and prison in Europe. The report explores in depth the epidemiology of drug use and drug-related problems among the prison population, the available social and health service responses to drug-related problems in prison, including the most recent evidence of effectiveness, and the drug supply and markets inside prison. It also discusses recent and future challenges in this area. The report will be of interest to policymakers and their advisors, specialists and practitioners...