Drugnet Europe: monthly news round-up (January 2023)

 

Issue 161 January 2023 CUSTOMER SURVEY Getting to know you!  Meeting the information needs of people working in the drugs field is very important to us. But we can only do this if we know what our customers want. For this reason, we have developed a 'Getting-to-know-you' survey to help us improve our products and services. The anonymous survey is aimed at anyone working, researching, or studying in the field of drugs and addictions, or simply with an interest in this topic. Please feel free to share the survey with your colleagues and peers. We will be publishing the results (in an anonymous manner) on an ongoing basis on our website. Survey >> | Further details >> WEB SURVEYS Web survey paper on nightlife settings The EMCDDA published on 16 January the eighth and final web survey paper in a series dedicated to monitoring drug use in the digital age. The paper describes the development and results of the Party Panel web survey, which addresses emerging risks in Dutch nightlife settings. The paper presents the results of a survey round which focused on high-dose ecstasy pills, an issue which had prompted public health concerns and underlined the need for interventions. Web surveys are a key element in a repertoire of tools used today to monitor the drugs problem. This collection of papers is the first step by the EMCDDA to review the advantages and methodological limitations of web surveys for drug data collection and to explore their potential in supporting policymaking and research.  Paper >> | Series >> | News >>   EU PRESIDENCY Sweden takes over EU presidency with a promise to be ‘greener, safer and freer’ This month, Sweden took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU with a pledge to focus on security, competitiveness, green and energy transitions, democratic values and the rule of law. In the field of drugs, Sweden now chairs the Council’s Horizontal Working Party on Drugs (HDG), with six meetings scheduled with the EU Member States, and additional dialogues on drugs planned with international partners and civil society. Three themes have been identified as priorities in this area: gender and drugs; young people and drugs; and synthetic opioids. Also high on the agenda will be furthering discussions on the new EMCDDA mandate. Read more >> | Swedish Presidency >> INTERNATIONAL  EMCDDA intensifies its cooperation with the Western Balkans and the European Neighbourhood Policy area This month, the EMCDDA has launched two new EU-funded projects which will intensify its cooperation with the Western Balkans and the European Neighbourhood Policy area (ENP). The projects, IPA 8 and EU4MD II, will run until the end of 2026 and 2027 respectively and will support national and regional readiness to identify and respond to drug-related health and security threats. The projects take place within the agency’s mandate for cooperation with third (non-EU) countries.  Read more >>  New COPOLAD III web page A new EMCDDA web page showcases the agency's activities under the COPOLAD III programme, which promotes dialogue and bi-regional cooperation on drug policy between the EU and Latin American and Caribbean countries (LAC). Funded by the EU, the programme is led by the International Ibero-American Foundation for Public Policies and Administrations (FIIAPP), in consortium with the Italian-Latin American International Organization (IILA). The EMCDDA collaborates in the programme along with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ). The EMCDDA became an official COPOLAD III partner in July 2022 and will carry out a range of activities supporting LAC countries in data collection, evidence-based policies and research.  COPOLAD III >> | Read more >> Bursaries for students from Latin American and Caribbean countries for the 2023 European Drugs Winter School Professionals, academics or experts from Latin American and Caribbean countries (LAC) will have an opportunity to participate in the European Drugs Winter School (EDWS) this year, thanks to two bursaries covering the registration fee being offered through the EMCDDA’s partnership with the COPOLAD III programme. Read more >> | Deadline: 03.02.2023 New collaboration with Ukraine This month sees the start of a new phase of collaboration between the EMCDDA and Ukraine following the signing of a Working Arrangement between the agency and the Ukrainian Ministry of Health. The signatories of the agreement were EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel and Ukrainian Minister of Health Viktor Liashko. The agreement updates and replaces the former Memorandum of Understanding between the EMCDDA and Ukraine signed in January 2010, following institutional developments. The state agency now responsible for monitoring the drug and alcohol situation at national level is the Institute of Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatric Examination and Drug Monitoring of the Ukrainian Ministry of Health. Read more >> LEARNING European Drugs Winter School 2023 ‘Displaced populations and drug-related issues’ will be the theme of the European Drugs Winter School 2023, taking place online from 13–24 February (one full-day session will be dedicated to this topic). The two-week course will feature live lunchtime lectures with experts and practitioners, followed by afternoon exercises. Virtual fieldwork tours will also be offered. Completion of exercises and an exam are compulsory for those wishing to obtain credits. The sessions will be recorded and available for subsequent viewing. EDWS >> | Read more >>  Deadline: 03.02.2023 European Drugs Summer School 2023 'Mental health and drug-related issues' will be the theme of the European Drugs Summer School 2023, taking place in Lisbon from 26 June to 7 July. This face-to-face two-week course will include lectures on drugs and mental health, dual diagnosis and integrated interventions. Study visits will be organised to one of the Portuguese commissions for dissuasion as well as to mobile methadone units and a drug consumption room in Lisbon. During the course, students will participate in interactive workshops to discuss their own projects and views. The course will conclude with an open debate with guest speakers, followed by an exam for those wishing to obtain credits. EDSS >> | Read more >>  Deadlines: Early-bird 28.02.2023 | Final 29.05.2023 CEPOL eLessons on drug laboratories The EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) has recently released a series of eLessons on illicit drug laboratories. These are CEPOL’s latest innovative training and learning resources available free of charge for registered users of its law enforcement education platform (LEEd). The 60-minute eLessons include animated introduction videos, tips and a glossary of terms. They also offer virtual tours of illicit drug laboratories, which can be taken from any computer or mobile device, and by using virtual reality goggles. The subjects covered are: MDMA, amphetamine, precursors, dump sites, new psychoactive substances (NPS), small-scale methamphetamine production, tableting and cannabis cultivation. Law enforcement, judicial and forensic professionals specialised in drug investigations can learn individually, at their own pace, and in an explorative way. The EMCDDA and CEPOL signed a Working Arrangement in November aimed at boosting learning and knowledge exchange in the area of security. The EMCDDA supports CEPOL's drug-related training activities. Read more >> | News >> MULTILINGUAL Czech translation now available  The EMCDDA Insights, Prison and drugs in Europe, is now available in Czech, thanks to the work of the Czech Institute of Criminology and Social Prevention. This publication takes an in-depth look at a wide range of issues in the prison setting, including drug use and harms, health and social responses and drug supply. It notes that, while, in several European countries, services in prison for people with drug problems have increased, treatment and care options available to this group remain limited. Czech and English versions >> |  Prison topics page >>  | News >>  Trendspotter briefing in Ukrainian On 30 January, the EMCDDA released a Ukrainian translation of its ‘trendspotter’ study, published last July. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, neighbouring EU countries have ensured a rapid humanitarian response, providing urgent support to meet the health and social needs of those fleeing the country. In this briefing, the EMCDDA looks at how these countries are responding to the needs of displaced persons who use drugs and how they can be better prepared for the future. EMCDDA ‘trendspotter’ studies are designed to examine emerging drug-related trends.  Trendspotter study >> | News >> | EMCDDA 4 Ukraine  Prevention resources in Georgian In the framework of the technical cooperation project EMCDDA4GE, two new Georgian translations have been published on the EMCDDA website. These are the translated European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) brochure and a quick guide to the European drug prevention quality standards (EDPQS). This follows the launch last month in Tbilisi of a Georgian version of the EUPC handbook, adapted to the national context. EUPC Brochure >> | EDPQS Quick guide >> EUPC manual >> | News >> Translated content on nitrous oxide Elements of the EMCDDA publication — Recreational use of nitrous oxide: a growing concern for Europe — have now been translated into seven languages: Spanish, German, Dutch, Lithuanian, Danish, French and Portuguese. Translations of the case studies will follow in due course in the languages of the countries concerned. Released in English on 21 November, this resource explores the rise in the supply and recreational use of nitrous oxide (‘laughing gas’). It points to the risks and harms associated with the drug, which is now widely available, cheap and popular among some young people. (Access the translations via the drop-down menu on the top right of the web pages).   Main section >> | Spotlight >> | Full report >> | News >> Latest miniguides in 4 new languages The two EMCDDA miniguides focusing on homelessness and families are now available in a further four languages: Bulgarian, German, Spanish and French. Published in December, the resources are the first of five volumes dedicated to people with vulnerability and form part of the agency’s Health and social responses to drug problems: a European guide. (Access the translations via the drop-down menu on the top right of the web pages). Families >> | Homelessness >> | News >>  Reitox video: subtitles in 8 languages The EMCDDA video Reitox: a model European network bridging science, policy and practice, can now be viewed in multiple languages. Sub-titles are offered in: Arabic, Ukrainian, German, Spanish, French, Albanian, Serbian and Slovenian.  Video >>  SECURITY EMPACT: keeping the EU safe A new EMCDDA web page describes the agency's involvement in the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT). Formerly known as the EU Policy Cycle, EMPACT is a security initiative that prevents, detects and reacts to threats to the EU, helping to keep it safe. The web page presents the 10 EMPACT crime priorities for the period 2022–2025 and the EMCDDA's involvement in this work. Also provided are links to resources (video, infographic, factsheet) highlighting results.  Read more >> RESPONSES New graphics available in media library Two new infographics on health and social responses to drug problems are now available in the EMCDDA media library. | Interventions to prevent opioid-related death by intended aim and evidence of benefit | Interventions used to target drug-related infectious diseases These resources appear in the EMCDDA miniguides on Opioid-related deaths and Drug-related infectious diseases.  VISITS Ambassadorial visits to the EMCDDA  This month, the EMCDDA was honoured to receive two ambassadorial visits. On these occasions, Director Alexis Goosdeel presented the work of the agency and informed of its upcoming change of mandate.  | 18 January: Ambassador of Chile to Portugal, H.E. Marina Teitelboim. The talks covered the EMCDDA's cooperation with Latin American countries and possible areas of collaboration within the COPOLAD III programme.   | 26 January, Ambassador of Germany to Portugal, H.E. Dr Julia Monar. The talks covered latest trends in new psychoactive substances from the EU Early Warning System and cannabis policy.  Related links  News | Events | Publications