Drugnet Europe: monthly news round-up (March 2022)

Issue 151: March 2022 WASTEWATER Latest wastewater data reveal drug-taking habits in 75 European cities  The 2021 findings from the largest European project in the science of wastewater analysis were revealed this month in Wastewater analysis and drugs — a European multi-city study, published by the Europe-wide SCORE group, in association with the EMCDDA. The project analysed wastewater in 75 European cities from 25 countries (23 EU + TR and NO) to explore the drug-taking behaviours of their inhabitants. The results show an overall rise in detections of four of the five drugs studied.  Read more >> NEW PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES European Commission adopts measures to control two harmful new drugs amidst health concerns and surge in supply The European Commission adopted measures on 18 March to control two harmful new psychoactive substances across the EU. The substances — 3-methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) and 3-chloromethcathinone (3-CMC) — are both synthetic cathinones, which have been raising concerns in Europe. The 'delegated act' follows risk assessments conducted by the EMCDDA in November 2021 as part of a three-step legal procedure designed to respond to potentially threatening new drugs available on the market.    Read more >> | Risk assessments >> | 3-MMC >> | 3-CMC >> EUROPEAN RESPONSES GUIDE New miniguides on responding to drug use in specific settings An important approach to implementing health and social responses to drug problems can be to focus interventions on the specific settings where problems may occur. For this reason, the EMCDDA’s Health and social responses to drug problems: a European guide includes a set of miniguides devoted to this topic. This month, the agency presented the first three miniguides in this bundle, which explore workplace, community and recreational settings. Miniguides relating to interventions in prisons and schools will follow in the coming weeks.   Read more >>  Workplaces and drugs Responding to drug-related issues in workplace settings is important for a number of reasons. Drug use can have a range of negative consequences for employees and employers, including: increased rates of accident and injury, higher levels of absenteeism and inappropriate behaviour and an economic burden on employers. Factors related to stress at work, or tough physical or uncomfortable working conditions, are among the triggers for drug use in this setting. But workplaces can also provide opportunities for health education on drug use and can help identify employees experiencing problems. This miniguide reviews these issues and related interventions in the workplace. Miniguide >>  Local communities and drugs Local communities can promote bottom-up civic engagement and action and are an important setting for responding to drug problems. Community involvement can ensure that services are relevant to local needs as well as supported by the local population. Drug-related interventions in this setting include the development of drug policies and responses that address public nuisance and harms experienced by communities. They also cover community engagement in providing prevention and harm-reduction activities, including the use of outreach approaches to make contact with those not engaged with services. This miniguide discusses important issues when addressing drug use and communities.   Miniguide >>  Recreational settings and drugs Bars, nightclubs and other recreational venues provide young people with opportunities to socialise and dance. Large music festivals attract thousands of visitors, among whom the use of psychoactive substances is more common than in the general population. Drug and alcohol use in these settings can be associated with a range of health and social problems, including acute intoxication, loss of consciousness, unintentional injury, aggressive behaviour, violence, unsafe sex and sexual violence, and driving under the influence of these substances. This miniguide discusses responses that promote the reduction of risk taking and harms in these settings. It is accompanied by a Spotlight on drug checking.    Miniguide >> | Spotlight >>  INNOVATION Hair drug testing — an innovative method for monitoring drug use  The EMCDDA uses a variety of methods and tools to monitor prevalence and patterns of drug use in the general population in Europe. One innovative new approach being trialled by the agency is drug hair testing, which can detect illicit drugs and their breakdown products (metabolites) in hair. The method involves collecting hair samples from volunteers and analysing them for traces of substances which may have recently been consumed. This form of testing can be used in combination with surveys to validate self-reported information and is a useful approach for monitoring drug use in specific settings.  Read more >> | Web page  PREVENTION Prevention toolkit — a new one-stop shop for EMCDDA prevention materials The EMCDDA launched this month a new Prevention toolkit, bringing together all of its key prevention-related materials to date. Part of the agency’s toolkit series, this new resource is aimed at anyone involved in shaping decisions, opinions and policies in Europe in the science-based prevention of substance use. The toolkit is centred around four key existing prevention resources, all brought together in a one-stop-shop for easy access. These are the European Prevention Curriculum; Xchange prevention registry; Best practice evidence database and the Healthy Nightlife Toolkit.   Read more >> | Toolkit >>  LEGISLATION Penalties at a glance How do countries’ laws deal with offences relating to drug use, possession for personal use or supply? Find out more in the EMCDDA’s 'Penalties at a glance' tool and compare countries’ legal approaches. This month, data from nine countries and partners — Armenia, Algeria, Georgia, Kosovo*, Lebanon, Moldova, Montenegro, Palestine** and Ukraine — have been added to the tool, complementing information from the 27 EU Member States, Norway and Turkey. Data from additional countries will be included in the course of 2022.  Read more >>  LEARNING European Drugs Summer School 2022 Have you registered for this year's European Drugs Summer School? The event, to take place in Lisbon from 27 June–8 July, will focus on 'Community-based interventions for drug-related issues'. The course will include daily in-person lectures and group exercises plus field visits to a mobile methadone unit, a harm-reduction centre and a mobile drug consumption facility.   Read more >> | Deadline: 5 June 2022. ADDICTIONS Inter-GLAM call for videos Inter-GLAM is an EU-funded project which aims to collaborate with a variety of stakeholders to explore global perspectives and trends that shape drug markets and addictions. As one of the co-producers of #LxAddictions22, Inter-GLAM is organising a video contest for audiovisual pieces related to the topics of the conference. A selection of videos competing for the prizes will be shown during the conference at the Inter-GLAM Cinema. Enter now! Read more >> PARTNERS New phase of EU Central Asian Drug Action Programme  The latest phase of the EU-funded Central Asian Drug Action Programme (CADAP 7), was celebrated on 29 March in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan). The EMCDDA participated in the official launch ceremony as one of the EU agencies providing ad hoc support to the programme until 2024. CADAP 7 reflects the EU’s long-term engagement with Central Asian partners to help further strengthen their national policies in drug demand reduction. Five Central Asian countries participate in CADAP: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.   Read more >>  UKRAINE EU solidarity with Ukraine The nine EU Justice and Home Affairs agencies issued in a joint statement on 7 March in support of the work of the EU institutions and Member States to help Ukraine and its people. The EU stands united in its solidarity with Ukraine and will continue to assist the country and its people through political, financial and humanitarian support. A section dedicated to ‘EU solidarity with Ukraine’ is available on the European Commission website in 26 languages, including Ukrainian and Russian.    JHA agencies statement | Europa web page