Drugnet Europe is a monthly news round-up published by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). Any item may be reproduced provided the source is acknowledged.
Issue 156: August 2022
INTERNATIONAL OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY
International Overdose Awareness Day
International Overdose Awareness Day is an annual event, held on 31 August, to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of drug-related death. A broad range of organisations and communities participates in the initiative to identify and respond to substance use problems and their causes and to spread the message that overdose deaths are preventable. Materials developed worldwide for this year's campaign include a series of posters and fact sheets describing the signs and symptoms of overdose for different substances and how to respond. The EMCDDA marked the day highlighting its own online resources (see below).IOAD materials >>
Message from the Director
Speaking on International Overdose Awareness Day, EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel said: 'This year, once again, thousands of families across Europe have lost a loved one to drugs. Yet overdose deaths are preventable and effective treatment and harm-reduction measures exist that would allow us to avoid this unnecessary loss of life. Risk behaviours and substance use are becoming more complex and are no longer limited to opioids. This means we now need to integrate interventions into a more pragmatic and holistic approach. The EMCDDA is committed to contributing to a healthier Europe by monitoring and informing about drug use and drug-related harms and supporting decision-makers in adopting effective and evidence-based responses. As drug supply and use rebound after COVID-19 disruption, we need to act now and scale up our overdose prevention'.
FAQs: EMCDDA answers key questions on drug-related deaths
How many people die every year in Europe from a drug-related death? Are women and men affected equally? What substances are involved in these fatalities? These are some of the questions answered in the EMCDDA’s ‘Frequently asked questions (FAQs): drug overdose deaths in Europe’. The FAQs pull together the most recent data on drug-related deaths in Europe to raise awareness on the nature and scale of the problem. The resource also presents situations that increase the risk of overdose, as well as methodologies, references and links to further reading. New trends and developments are illustrated through a range of maps and graphics.
Read more >> | FAQs >>
Why data matter to save lives
The EMCDDA is committed to monitoring and providing accurate information and data on the health risks of drug use and on the drug treatment and harm-reduction responses which save lives in Europe. This data is indispensable to inform policymaking and to improve Europe’s preparedness in this area. ‘Drug-related deaths: why data matter to save lives’ is the title of a video released on 31 August explaining how the EMCDDA monitors drug-related deaths. The European Drug Report 2022 revealed that over 5 800 deaths, involving one or more illicit drug, were reported in the European Union in 2020.
Video >>
Responding to opioid-related deaths: EMCDDA miniguide
Opioid-related deaths: health and social responses is the title of an EMCDDA miniguide released as part of the Health and social responses to drug problems: a European guide. The miniguide presents the latest scientific evidence for a range of measures to reduce opioid-related deaths. These include interventions geared towards reducing vulnerability, preventing overdoses from occurring and avoiding fatal outcomes. The resource also reviews the availability and effectiveness of responses and considers implications for policy and practice.
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Take-home naloxone resources
Many people overdose with opioids in the presence of their partners or peers. Empowering friends, family and other bystanders to act effectively, before emergency services arrive at the scene, can therefore save lives. Overdose prevention programmes, combining first aid training with the provision of the opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone, were piloted in Europe in the late 1990s. Today, 15 European countries offer take-home naloxone (THN) programmes at local or national level. The full range of EMCDDA background resources on THN can be accessed via our dedicated web page.
Topic page >>
Drug-related deaths and mortality
Drug-related mortality is a complex phenomenon, which accounts for a considerable percentage of deaths among young people in many European countries. In collaboration with national experts, the EMCDDA has developed an epidemiological indicator comprising two components: deaths directly caused by illicit drugs (drug-induced deaths) and mortality rates among people with high-risk drug use. Further details can be found on our dedicated web page.
Topic page >>
RECRUITMENT
Human resources manager
The EMCDDA is looking to recruit a new Head of sector for Human resources management. The successful candidate will be required to support the implementation of the newly adopted EMCDDA business model and contribute to the further development of the agency's HR sector.
Deadline for applications: 02.09.2022.
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Scientific analysts
We currently have three new job vacancies in the area of the EMCDDA's technical cooperation with third countries:
Security and safety project scientific analyst Early warning and safety project scientific analyst Health project scientific analyst.Deadline for applications: 16.09.2022.
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LISBON ADDICTIONS 2022
Programme at a glance
The programme outline for #LxAddictions22 is available online! The event will be packed with cutting-edge research and high-level content, organised in plenary sessions, structured sessions, oral presentations, workshops, short communications and guided e-poster tours. Big debates will see groups of discussants exchanging views on key questions related to 'Global Addictions', the overarching theme of the event. Working closely with co-producers, the conference team has developed eight innovative thematic tracks. The full programme will be available in September.
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Conference side events
#LxAddictions22 provides a unique networking opportunity for researchers, practitioners and policy experts across countries and disciplines. In the margins of the conference, a number of side events will be on offer. Details are available on the conference website.
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NEW PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE
NPS conference programme out now!
Hot off the press this month is the packed programme of the IX international conference on novel psychoactive substances, taking place in Panama City (hybrid) from 24–26 October. Over 100 leading NPS experts from a broad range of fields will gather to share knowledge and strengthen collaboration on the topic at global level. This year’s conference is jointly organised by the International Society for the Study of Emerging Drugs, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the EMCDDA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, the University of Hertfordshire, the Centre for Forensic Science Research and Education, the Government of Panama, the Regional Anti-Doping Organization of Central America and the Panamanian Anti-Doping Organization. Deadline for registration: 19.10.2022.
Read more >> | Register >>
UKRAINE
EU JHA agencies present actions in support of Ukraine
The nine EU agencies active in the field of justice and home affairs issued a joint paper on 23 August on their contribution to the EU’s solidarity with Ukraine. The paper highlights a broad spectrum of activities undertaken by the agencies. These include producing reports and analyses, identifying key fundamental rights challenges and ways to overcome them and providing information and support to those displaced from home.
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RESOURCES
Miniguides available in three more languages
The first bundle of the EMCDDA responses miniguides (action framework and patterns of use) are now available in an additional three languages: Bulgarian, Hungarian and Slovenian. Together, the miniguides make up the agency’s latest overview of interventions and actions designed to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Drawing on a fresh global review of the evidence, and insights from 29 countries (27 EU, Turkey and Norway), the miniguides support practitioners and policymakers in addressing the negative consequences of drug use. The resources are presented in a digital and modular format, designed to improve accessibility, to be easier to read across a range of devices and to facilitate regular updates and translations. This bundle of miniguides is also available in Spanish, German and French.
Read more >>
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