Drugnet Europe,update

 

Issue 159: November 2022 LISBON ADDICTIONS 2022 EMCDDA at Lisbon Addictions EMCDDA staff members were among the 1 000 speakers at Lisbon Addictions 2022, which took place from 23–25 November (#LxAddictions22). Under the overarching theme of ‘Global Addictions’, the event showcased the latest scientific knowledge in this domain and explored challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The next edition of Lisbon Addictions will take place from 23–25 October 2024 under the theme 'Empowering the workforce of the future'. The EMCDDA is one of the conference co-organisers. Read more >> | EMCDDA staff participation >>  NEW PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES No laughing matter: new report shows rise in recreational use of nitrous oxide A rise in the supply and recreational use of nitrous oxide (‘laughing gas’) is the focus of a new EMCDDA report launched on 21 November. The publication — Recreational use of nitrous oxide: a growing concern for Europe — points to the risks and harms associated with the drug, which is now widely available, cheap and popular among some young people. Over the last decade, there has been a large increase in its recreational use in many regions of the world. In some European countries, particular concerns have been raised since 2017–18, when the drug became more widely available and in larger quantities. Read more >> | EWS25 >> INTERNATIONAL Closing conference of EU-funded technical cooperation projects  This month, the EMCDDA hosted the closing conference of its international cooperation projects with the Western Balkans and European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) region. The two-day event was held in the margins of Lisbon Addictions 2022. Under the theme ‘Drugs beyond EU borders: emerging trends and preparedness’, the event focused on cross-border drug-related health and security threats in the Western Balkans and on drug markets and emerging drug-related challenges in the ENP region. The objective of the two projects is to familiarise beneficiaries with EU policies and working methods and to prepare them for consolidated and structured reporting to the EMCDDA.  Read more >>

DRUGNET EUROPE update

 

Issue 158: October 2022 WEBINARS Wastewater analysis and preparedness  ‘How wastewater monitoring can boost preparedness for new health threats’ is the title of the next EMCDDA webinar being held on 16 November. COVID-19 raised awareness, both in Europe and worldwide, on the importance of being prepared for potential emergencies. In 2020, the pandemic catapulted wastewater-based epidemiology into the mainstream and highlighted what a powerful public health tool it can be. The EMCDDA has used wastewater analysis for over a decade to enhance its understanding of community drug use. Recent research has shown the potential of this method for drug signal alerts, such as the identification of new psychoactive substances and increased use of crack cocaine in some EU cities. The webinar includes experts from Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands.   Register here >> | Wastewater topic page >> LEGISLATION 'Penalties at a glance': Switzerland 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. Switzerland has recently been added to the tool, bringing the total number of countries to 40. Data from additional countries will be included as they become available. Read more >>

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

 

Issue 157: September 2022 EMCDDA4Georgia  EMCDDA–Georgia cooperation On 6 September, Deputy Minister of Justice of Georgia, Tornike Cheishvili, and EMCDDA Director, Alexis Goosdeel, signed a Working Arrangement between the EMCDDA and Georgia, confirming their collaboration in the field of drugs and drug addiction. The new agreement will allow for knowledge transfer and capacity-building in the areas of drug monitoring and reporting and for the exchange of experience on health and social responses to drug problems. Georgia is currently participating in two EU-funded projects: EMCDDA4Georgia (EMCDDA4GE) and EU4Monitoring Drugs (EU4MD). The new agreement will be translated into action via joint three-year work programmes, the first covering the period 2022–2024. The ceremony was followed by a Project advisory committee (PAC) meeting and media relations training course.  Working Arrangement >> | PAC and training course >> NEW PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES #EWS25 update available in Spanish  This year, the EU Early Warning System (EWS) on new psychoactive substances (NPS) celebrates its 25th anniversary. On 15 September, the EMCDDA published a Spanish translation of the latest update from the EWS (released in English in June). The publication, which reflects on the achievements of the system over a quarter of a century, presents the history and development of the EWS, an update of work in 2020–21 and lessons learned to help meet future challenges. Operated by the EMCDDA, in close cooperation with Europol and partners, the EWS was the first regional early-warning mechanism set up to monitor and respond to uncontrolled new drugs.  Read more >> | Report >> | #EWS 25 >> Registration still open!  Have you registered for the IX international conference on novel psychoactive substances in Panama City/online from 24–26 October? If not, you still have until 19 October to do so. Network with hundreds of NPS experts across the world from a broad range of fields and strengthen your knowledge on the topic! 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. Programme >> | Registration >> | Deadline: 19.10.2022.  RESPONSES Responding to drug problems among migrants, refugees and ethnic minorities  Migration has had an increasing impact on European policymaking over the past decade, in the wake of what has been called the ‘refugee migration peak’. In addition to an influx of refugees, European countries have experienced relatively new intra-European migration flows, while health and social disparities persist among populations with longer-established migration patterns. This paper looks at available prevalence studies of illicit substance use among these groups as well as risk factors and current responses. The paper was commissioned by the EMCDDA to inform the Health and social responses to drug problems: a European guide.  Read more >> LISBON ADDICTIONS 2022 Full programme now available! The full #LxAddictions22 programme is now 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. Ahead of the conference, an app will be available to help you select your favourite presentations, build a personalised programme and create your professional profile. The EMCDDA is one of the conference organisers. Read more >> | Update >> Over 1 300 now registered Over 1 300 people have now registered for #LxAddictions22. Have you? The good news is that you can do so right up to the event! For those who cannot attend the whole conference, a new one-day fee is available. Don’t miss this chance to take your place at Europe's largest conference on addictions! Read more >>   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.  Read more >> | Update >> RESOURCES Miniguides in three more languages The EMCDDA responses miniguides on 'Settings and drugs' (local communities, prisons, recreational settings, schools and workplaces), as well as on opioid-related deaths, are now available in German, French and Spanish. 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.  Read more >> MULTILINGUALISM Celebrating multilingualism The EMCDDA celebrated European Day of Languages (26 September) highlighting how it is extending its multilingual reach and providing its customers with more content in their own language. This includes using new technologies in the translation field, such as the automatic translation or light-post editing tools offered by the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union (CdT). It is also adding to the EU's interinstitutional terminology database, IATE.  Read more >> | CdT >> | IATE >>  EU AGENCIES JHA agencies' joint paper on COVID-19  On 12 September, the EU Justice and Home Affairs agencies’ network released the second update of a joint paper on its COVID-19 response. This latest update details the individual and joint efforts by the nine agencies to deal with the impact of the pandemic. Read more >> Innovation Hub annual meeting  The EU Innovation Hub for Internal Security held its annual meeting in Brussels from 13–14 September under the theme 'Shaping responsible solutions for internal security'. The hub is a collaborative network of teams ('innovation labs') working in EU bodies to explore the application of new technologies. Discussions focused on encryption and AI (the hub’s priorities for 2022), with presentations from a range of government, research and technology bodies. The EMCDDA participated in a panel on 'Innovation in monitoring and surveillance'. Read more >>

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

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'.

EMCDDA Drugnet Europe: monthly news round-up (July 2022)

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 155: July 2022

28 JULY: #WorldHepatitisDay




World Hepatitis Day
Every year, on 28 July, the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners commemorate World Hepatitis Day to increase awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis and the diseases it causes. Eliminating hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030 is a target set under the UN Sustainable Development Goal on Health (SDG 3.3). The WHO focused this year on 'Bringing hepatitis care closer to you', while the World Hepatitis Alliance campaign message was ‘Hep can't wait!'. To mark the day, the EMCDDA showcased the hepatitis toolkit it has developed as part of a wider harm-reduction initiative to prevent and control infectious diseases among people who inject drugs (PWID).

Read more >>




EMCDDA toolkit to help European countries beat viral hepatitis
The EMCDDA's online toolkit is designed to help European countries meet health targets to eliminate viral hepatitis. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the most common infectious disease among PWID, being easily transmitted through the sharing of needles and syringes. While HCV antibody prevalence in the EU general population is below 2%, studies conducted among PWID show it can exceed 50%, making this a key target group for programmes to eliminate the virus. Data collected from those entering drug treatment in Europe show HCV testing rates to be low in this group. Resources in the toolkit include, an interactive elimination barometer, a manual, a knowledge questionnaire and examples of innovative models of care that have increased access to HCV testing and treatment through drug services in some countries.

Toolkit >

INTERNATIONAL




EMCDDA becomes official partner of COPOLAD III
On 21 July, the EMCDDA became an official partner of COPOLAD III, a programme promoting dialogue and bi-regional cooperation on drug policy between the European Union 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). Collaborating in the programme with the EMCDDA is the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ). The EMCDDA will run a range of activities supporting LAC countries, with a strong focus on data collection, evidence-based policies and research.

Read more >>

UKRAINΕ 




Ukraine: new trendspotter briefing
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 a new briefing published on 18 July, 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. The briefing is the latest in a series of EMCDDA ‘trendspotter’ studies aimed at examining emerging drug-related trends.
Read more >>

Ukraine: health preparedness hub
This month, the EMCDDA published an online health preparedness hub for Ukraine. The webpage offers a range of resources for health professionals who provide services for people displaced from Ukraine to the European Union or other European Neighbourhood Area countries and for Ukrainians displaced within the country.

Read more >>




European Prevention Curriculum handbook in Ukrainian
A Ukrainian version of the European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) handbook, adapted for the local context, was launched on 1 July in Kyiv at an event organised by the NGO, Geopolitical Alliance of Women, at the Ukrainian national news company, Ukrinform. The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Science, and by health and prevention professionals who were involved in, or supported, the adaptation of the handbook. Participants reflected on the value of the EUPC handbook for Ukraine and exchanged ideas on how it could be used by specialists and stakeholders in their activities. The EUPC is designed to train professionals involved in shaping prevention decisions and policies in Europe in the science-based prevention of substance use.

Read more >>
WEB SURVEYS




European Web Survey on Drugs: new factsheets available
The European Web Survey on Drugs collected data during March and May 2021 from people who use drugs (aged 18 or older), living in the 21 EU and 9 non-EU countries participating in the project. A number of factsheets with findings from the countries were published in 2021 (21 EU + CH; Western Balkans). The latest factsheets published this month are from Georgia, Lebanon and Ukraine.

Read more >> Georgia | Lebanon | Ukraine


Innovative online survey of cannabis growers
Key findings were released this month of an innovative online survey of cannabis growers in Europe, Australia and North America. The results cover cannabis cultivation, policy insights and methodological lessons learned. The publication is one of eight EMCDDA Insights papers on the theme: 'Monitoring drug use in the digital age: studies in web surveys'. The collection of papers is the first step by the agency to review the advantages and methodological limitations of web surveys and their potential in supporting policymaking and research.

Read more >> | Paper >>
NEW PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE


New legislation published on 3-MMC and 3-CMC
On 29 July, Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2022/1326 of 18 March 2022 was published in the Official Journal of the European Union controlling two new psychoactive substances: 3-methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) and 3-chloromethcathinone (3-CMC). The legislation will enter into force on 18 August (20 days after publication). EU Member States are now required to bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by 18 February 2023 at the latest. The two substances were risk-assessed by the EMCDDA in November 2021.

Read more (March 2022) >> | Official Journal (OJ L 200, 29.7.2022).

EMCDDA4GEORGIA




EMCDDA training for Georgian drug treatment professionals
From 4–8 July, Georgian professionals received online training from the EMCDDA on drug treatment interventions. Based on pre-assessed local needs and aligned with EU quality standards, the course focused on responses to specific drugs and patterns of use. It consisted of six modules: action framework for developing health and social responses to drug problems, cannabis, opioids, stimulants, polydrug use and the implementation of quality standards for drug services. The event took place under the technical cooperation project EMCDDA4Georgia (EMCDDA4GE).

Read more >>

LISBON ADDICTIONS 2022



Have you registered yet?
The #LxAddictions organisers are delighted to announce that over 1 000 people have now registered for the conference. The regular fee rate of EUR 550 will end on 31 July. Don’t miss this chance to take your place at Europe's largest conference on addictions!

Read more >>




Lisbon Addictions 2022 news update
The latest #LxAddictions newsletter has just been published, featuring everything you need to know about the programme outline, latest keynote speakers, side events and more!

Read more >> | Subscriptions >>

RECRUITMENT


We're hiring!
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. The closing date for applications is 02.09.2022.

Read more >>

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