The EU market for new psychoactive substances (NPS) is highly dynamic and resilient, characterised by a high turnover of potent, cheap and available substances. This is according to a new study released today by the EMCDDA and Europol: EU Drug Market: New psychoactive substances.
The analysis describes the European market for NPS, from production and trafficking, to distribution and use, with a comprehensive overview on synthetic cathinones, cannabinoids, opioids and benzodiazepines. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors involved at different stages and levels of the…
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On 2 July, a new European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) will officially replace the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), which has been operating in Lisbon since 1995. The development is the result of new legislation entering into application on that day which revises the EMCDDA mandate and name and formally establishes the EUDA.
The EUDA will have stronger powers than its predecessor to address current and future drug problems (1). With its broader mandate, the new agency will contribute to EU preparedness on drugs, helping the EU and its Member States to anticipate…
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Potent synthetic substances, new drug mixtures and changing patterns of use pose a growing threat in Europe. These are among the issues raised today by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) as it launches its European Drug Report 2024: Trends and Developments (1).
Drug availability remains high in Europe, where the market offers a diverse range of products. People who use drugs are now exposed to a wider range of psychoactive substances, often of high potency or purity, or in new forms, mixtures and combinations. With products sometimes mis-sold, consumers may…
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EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is in Tirana today where he will meet representatives of the Albanian Government, the EU delegation to Albania and civil society. The aim of the visit is to discuss and agree with national stakeholders on the next steps in aligning the Albanian and European drug information systems.
On the agenda are meetings with:
Minister of the Interior, Taulant Bala;
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Albana Koçiu;
Director of NGO Aksion Plus, Genci Muçollari;
EU Delegation to Albania.
The EMCDDA has been cooperating with Albania for over 15 years. It currently…
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