O consumo de drogas ilícitas e, em geral, o abuso de drogas representam um grande problema para as pessoas, as famílias e as comunidades em toda a Europa. Para além das implicações sanitárias e sociais do abuso de drogas, o mercado das drogas ilícitas constitui um dos principais elementos da atividade criminosa na sociedade europeia e até mesmo a nível mundial.

Em dezembro de 2012, o Conselho adotou a Estratégia da UE de Luta contra a Droga para 2013-2020. A Estratégia visa contribuir para uma redução da procura e da oferta de droga a nível da UE) Visa também reduzir os riscos e danos sociais e para a saúde causados pela droga graças a uma abordagem estratégica que apoie e complemente as políticas nacionais, crie uma estrutura que permita desenvolver ações coordenadas e conjuntas e sirva de base e enquadramento político à cooperação externa da UE neste domínio. Para tal, seguir-se-á uma abordagem integrada, equilibrada e assente em dados.

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Plano de ação da UE de luta contra a droga 2017-2020

Il consumo di droghe illecite e l’abuso di droghe in generale rappresentano un grave problema per gli individui, le famiglie e le comunità in tutta Europa. A parte le implicazioni di tale abuso per la salute e la società, il mercato delle droghe illecite costituisce un importante elemento dell’attività criminale nella società europea e a livello globale.

Nel dicembre 2012 il Consiglio ha adottato la strategia dell’Unione europea in materia di droga per il periodo 2013-2020. La strategia punta a contribuire ad una riduzione della domanda e dell’offerta di droga all’interno dell’UE, nonché a ridurre i rischi e i danni per la salute e la società correlati alla droga mediante un approccio strategico che sostiene ed integra le politiche nazionali, fornisce un quadro per azioni coordinate e congiunte e costituisce la base ed il quadro politico per la cooperazione esterna dell’UE in questo settore. Ciò sarà realizzato mediante un approccio integrato, equilibrato e basato su dati.

Mantenere up-to-date con gli sviluppi politici droga iscrivendoti al IDPC mensile Alert.

Piano d'azione dell'UE in materia di lotta contro la droga 2017-2020 

The use of illicit drugs and the misuse of drugs generally, is a major problem for individuals, families and communities across Europe. Apart from the health and social implications of drug misuse, the illicit drugs market constitutes a major element of criminal activity across European society and, indeed, on a global level.

In December 2012, the Council adopted the EU Drugs Strategy for 2013-2020. The Strategy aims to contribute to a reduction in drug demand and drug supply within the EU. It also aims to reduce the health and social risks and harms caused by drugs through a strategic approach that supports and complements national policies, that provides a framework for coordinated and joint actions and that forms the basis and political framework for EU external cooperation in this field. This will be achieved through an integrated, balanced and evidence-based approach.

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EU Action Plan on Drugs 2017-2020

The challenges of responding to needs of older people with a drug problem (OPDP), defined in this report as over the age of 35, are significant and will increase considerably over the coming years. Among people with drug problems, those aged over 35 will become the main client group in specialist services for the foreseeable future. They will also be a significant challenge to a wider range of services that will increasingly be required to offer help and support. Therefore, in terms of planning for the future, OPDPs complex and long-term care needs must be taken into consideration in the planning and development of all health, social care and related services.

Older people with drug problems in Scotland: Addressing the needs of an ageing population

Until now, the Crypto-Drug Market (CDM) escrow process has been described according to a historic centralised escrow system. However, centralised escrow is fast becoming obsolete, with four of the five most popular current CDMs now offering a form of decentralised escrow, known as multisignature (multisig). Multisig is therefore fast becoming the industry standard for ameliorating financial risk in CDM transactions. This Situation Analysis is intended to clarify the multisig process. It presents an analysis of the background to the shift toward decentralisation, a description of the new process, and a diagrammatic representation of the multisig escrow model.

Updating Escrow: Demystifying the CDM multisig process

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), often sold as ‘Ecstasy’ or ‘Molly’, is commonly used at music festivals and reported to be responsible for an increase in deaths over the last decade. Ecstasy is often adulterated and contains compounds that increase morbidity and mortality. While users and clinicians commonly assume that products sold as Molly are less-adulterated MDMA products, this has not been tested. Additionally, while pill-testing services are sometimes available at raves, the assumption that these services decrease risky drug use has not been studied. This study analysed data collected by the pill-testing organization, DanceSafe, from events across the United States from 2010 to 2015. Colorimetric reagent assays identified MDMA in only 60% of the 529 samples collected. No significant difference in the percentage of samples testing positive for MDMA was determined between Ecstasy and Molly. Individuals were significantly less likely to report intent to use a product if testing did not identify MDMA (relative risk (RR) = 0.56, 

 = 0.01). Results suggest that Molly is not a less-adulterated substance, and that pill-testing services are a legitimate harm-reduction service that decreases intent to consume potentially dangerous substances and may warrant consideration by legislators for legal protection. Future research should further examine the direct effects of pill-testing services and include more extensive pill-testing methods.

Click here to read the full article. (Restricted access)

Who is ‘Molly’? MDMA adulterants by product name and the impact of harm-reduction services at raves

Country Drug Reports are a new product and present summaries of national drug phenomena. Developed by the EMCDDA, in cooperation with the Reitox national focal points, these graphic-rich reports cover: drug use and public health problems; drug policy and responses and drug supply.

EMCDDA Country Drug Reports

The Trends and Developments report presents a top-level overview of the drug phenomenon in Europe, covering drug supply, use and public health problems as well as drug policy and responses. Together with the online Statistical Bulletin, Country Drug Reports and Perspectives on Drugs, it makes up the 2017 European Drug Report package.

2017 European Drug Report

Public health problems caused by psychoactive substance use have reached alarming proportions and globally constitute a significant, but to a large extent preventable, health and social burden. Rapid globalization, technological and communication developments, and growing availability and diversity of synthetic compounds with psychoactive and dependence-producing properties all require adequate and proportionate policy and programmatic responses to the drug problem. The public health strategies and the health sector have an important and growing role in mitigating drug-related harm at all levels.

As the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system, WHO has an important role to play in promoting a public health approach to counter the world drug problem, strengthening the role of health systems in reducing the disease burden due to psychoactive drug use and improving the well-being of populations at all levels.

In order to support the implementation of public health-oriented drug policies and programmes in health systems, WHO will intensify its normative function in the areas of prevention, early intervention, treatment, care, harm reduction, recovery, rehabilitation and social reintegration, with a focus on drug use disorders and associated comorbidities.

Public health dimension of the world drug problem

This short document aims to provide a summary of the main issues that people engaged in developing drug policy, or in commissioning evaluations of drug policy, strategies and interventions, need to consider. There are many sources of more detailed information and guidance on conducting evaluations. This guide seeks not to duplicate or replace them but instead to act as an introduction, providing links to the wider literature and presenting the key issues for those managing rather than undertaking drug policy evaluations. Further reading and sources of more detailed information are provided at the end of this guide. There is also no single correct way to undertake an evaluation, and the choice of approach depends on many factors, including timing, objectives and the availability of resources.

This publication is designed to assist people in choosing the best approach to suit their circumstances and to maximise the value of any evaluation.

Evaluating drug policy: A seven-step guide to support the commissioning and managing of evaluations.

By any measure and every metric, the U.S. war on drugs — a constellation of laws and policies that seeks to prevent the use of certain drugs, primarily through punishment and coercion — has been a catastrophic failure. Indeed, federal and state policies that are designed to be “tough” on people who use and sell illegal drugs have helped over-fill our jails and prisons, permanently branded millions of otherwise law-abiding civilians as “criminals”, and exacerbated drug-related death, disease and suffering — all while failing at their stated aims.

This report offers a roadmap for how to begin to unwind our failed drug war. It focuses on one practical step that can and should be taken to avoid many of the harms that flow from punitive prohibitionist drug laws and to promote proven, effective health-based interventions.

 is a critical next step toward achieving a rational drug policy that puts science and public health before punishment and incarceration. Decades of evidence has clearly demonstrated that decriminalization is a sensible path forward that would reap vast human and fiscal benefits, while protecting families and communities.

This report is the product of a comprehensive review of the public health and criminology literature, an analysis of drug policies in the U.S. and abroad, and input from experts in the fields of drug policy and criminal justice. By highlighting the benefits of eliminating criminal penalties for drug use and possession, we seek to provide policymakers, community leaders and advocates with evidence-based options for a new approach.

It's time for the USA to decriminalise drug use and possession

CityWide commissioned this paper to explore possible structures and processes through which to engage with, hear the voice of, and empower Black and minority ethnic communities in relation to issues of drug use.

CityWide hopes that such a development would enable it to be informed about the particular needs of those involved in problematic drug use within Black and minority ethnic communities, to enable Black and minority ethnic communities to influence the development and implementation of the National Drugs Strategy, and to support effective policy and service responses to their needs.

The paper was prepared on the basis of interviews with fourteen people involved in community based service provision in relation to problematic drug use (9) and with people involved in Black and minority ethnic organisations (5).

Two research reports on drug use in new communities in the Irish context were reviewed. In 2004 Merchants Quay got a grant from the National Advisory Committee on Drugs and Alcohol to carry out an exploratory study on problematic drug use among new communities. 1 This addressed patterns of drug use, methods of drug use, motivations for drug use, risks drugs users are exposed to, levels of awareness of health promotion strategies and services, and barriers to accessing support services. This noted that carrying out research with drug users from new communities was particularly challenging and demanding. It is a small qualitative study.

In 2009, the Western Region Drugs Task Force commissioned research that presents an overview of new communities in the west of Ireland, explores substance use in their countries of origin, explores substance use in Ireland and among new communities, and reviews the risk factors for substance use in new communities, barriers to effective service utilisation and possible responses.

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