EMCDDA news

Charting a new course: EMCDDA work programme 2024–2026

Message from the Director 1/2024 I am delighted to announce today the publication of the latest EMCDDA work programme, which outlines our activities for 2024–2026. This programme represents a milestone in our history, being the very last to be launched by the agency in its current form. On 2 July, the EMCDDA will be replaced by the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). It is therefore a special moment for me to present our activities for what is, undoubtedly, the most transformative period in the life of the agency to date. What you will read in its pages marks the completion of 30 years of…
Read more

COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
Read more

Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
Read more

Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
Read more

Charting a new course: EMCDDA work programme 2024–2026

Message from the Director 1/2024 I am delighted to announce today the publication of the latest EMCDDA work programme, which outlines our activities for 2024–2026. This programme represents a milestone in our history, being the very last to be launched by the agency in its current form. On 2 July, the EMCDDA will be replaced by the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). It is therefore a special moment for me to present our activities for what is, undoubtedly, the most transformative period in the life of the agency to date. What you will read in its pages marks the completion of 30 years of…
Read more

COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
Read more

Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
Read more

Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
Read more

Charting a new course: EMCDDA work programme 2024–2026

Message from the Director 1/2024 I am delighted to announce today the publication of the latest EMCDDA work programme, which outlines our activities for 2024–2026. This programme represents a milestone in our history, being the very last to be launched by the agency in its current form. On 2 July, the EMCDDA will be replaced by the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). It is therefore a special moment for me to present our activities for what is, undoubtedly, the most transformative period in the life of the agency to date. What you will read in its pages marks the completion of 30 years of…
Read more

COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
Read more

Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
Read more

Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
Read more

Charting a new course: EMCDDA work programme 2024–2026

Message from the Director 1/2024 I am delighted to announce today the publication of the latest EMCDDA work programme, which outlines our activities for 2024–2026. This programme represents a milestone in our history, being the very last to be launched by the agency in its current form. On 2 July, the EMCDDA will be replaced by the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). It is therefore a special moment for me to present our activities for what is, undoubtedly, the most transformative period in the life of the agency to date. What you will read in its pages marks the completion of 30 years of…
Read more

COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
Read more

Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
Read more

Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
Read more

Charting a new course: EMCDDA work programme 2024–2026

Message from the Director 1/2024 I am delighted to announce today the publication of the latest EMCDDA work programme, which outlines our activities for 2024–2026. This programme represents a milestone in our history, being the very last to be launched by the agency in its current form. On 2 July, the EMCDDA will be replaced by the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). It is therefore a special moment for me to present our activities for what is, undoubtedly, the most transformative period in the life of the agency to date. What you will read in its pages marks the completion of 30 years of…
Read more

COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
Read more

Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
Read more

Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
Read more

Charting a new course: EMCDDA work programme 2024–2026

Message from the Director 1/2024 I am delighted to announce today the publication of the latest EMCDDA work programme, which outlines our activities for 2024–2026. This programme represents a milestone in our history, being the very last to be launched by the agency in its current form. On 2 July, the EMCDDA will be replaced by the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). It is therefore a special moment for me to present our activities for what is, undoubtedly, the most transformative period in the life of the agency to date. What you will read in its pages marks the completion of 30 years of…
Read more

COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
Read more

Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
Read more

Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
Read more

Charting a new course: EMCDDA work programme 2024–2026

Message from the Director 1/2024 I am delighted to announce today the publication of the latest EMCDDA work programme, which outlines our activities for 2024–2026. This programme represents a milestone in our history, being the very last to be launched by the agency in its current form. On 2 July, the EMCDDA will be replaced by the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). It is therefore a special moment for me to present our activities for what is, undoubtedly, the most transformative period in the life of the agency to date. What you will read in its pages marks the completion of 30 years of…
Read more

COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
Read more

Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
Read more

Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
Read more

Charting a new course: EMCDDA work programme 2024–2026

Message from the Director 1/2024 I am delighted to announce today the publication of the latest EMCDDA work programme, which outlines our activities for 2024–2026. This programme represents a milestone in our history, being the very last to be launched by the agency in its current form. On 2 July, the EMCDDA will be replaced by the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). It is therefore a special moment for me to present our activities for what is, undoubtedly, the most transformative period in the life of the agency to date. What you will read in its pages marks the completion of 30 years of…
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COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
Read more

Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
Read more

Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
Read more

COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
Read more

Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
Read more

Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
Read more

Bursaries offered for European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools

The EMCDDA and the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) are delighted to announce the availability of bursaries for the 2024 European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools. The bursaries are being offered via the agency's international cooperation programmes.   Registration for the events opened earlier this month (1): European Drugs Winter School (EDWS) [external website] (26 February–8 March 2024, online) Focus: Gender-sensitive approaches to drug-related issues European Drugs Summer School (EDSS) [external website] (24 June–5 July 2024, Lisbon) Focus: Psychostimulants in Europe: health…
Read more

COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
Read more

Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
Read more

Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
Read more

Bursaries offered for European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools

The EMCDDA and the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) are delighted to announce the availability of bursaries for the 2024 European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools. The bursaries are being offered via the agency's international cooperation programmes.   Registration for the events opened earlier this month (1): European Drugs Winter School (EDWS) [external website] (26 February–8 March 2024, online) Focus: Gender-sensitive approaches to drug-related issues European Drugs Summer School (EDSS) [external website] (24 June–5 July 2024, Lisbon) Focus: Psychostimulants in Europe: health…
Read more

COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
Read more

Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
Read more

Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
Read more

Bursaries offered for European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools

The EMCDDA and the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) are delighted to announce the availability of bursaries for the 2024 European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools. The bursaries are being offered via the agency's international cooperation programmes.   Registration for the events opened earlier this month (1): European Drugs Winter School (EDWS) [external website] (26 February–8 March 2024, online) Focus: Gender-sensitive approaches to drug-related issues European Drugs Summer School (EDSS) [external website] (24 June–5 July 2024, Lisbon) Focus: Psychostimulants in Europe: health…
Read more

COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
Read more

Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
Read more

Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
Read more

Bursaries offered for European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools

The EMCDDA and the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) are delighted to announce the availability of bursaries for the 2024 European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools. The bursaries are being offered via the agency's international cooperation programmes.   Registration for the events opened earlier this month (1): European Drugs Winter School (EDWS) [external website] (26 February–8 March 2024, online) Focus: Gender-sensitive approaches to drug-related issues European Drugs Summer School (EDSS) [external website] (24 June–5 July 2024, Lisbon) Focus: Psychostimulants in Europe: health…
Read more

Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
Read more

Bursaries offered for European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools

The EMCDDA and the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) are delighted to announce the availability of bursaries for the 2024 European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools. The bursaries are being offered via the agency's international cooperation programmes.   Registration for the events opened earlier this month (1): European Drugs Winter School (EDWS) [external website] (26 February–8 March 2024, online) Focus: Gender-sensitive approaches to drug-related issues European Drugs Summer School (EDSS) [external website] (24 June–5 July 2024, Lisbon) Focus: Psychostimulants in Europe: health…
Read more

COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
Read more

Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
Read more

COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
Read more

Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
Read more

Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
Read more

Bursaries offered for European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools

The EMCDDA and the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) are delighted to announce the availability of bursaries for the 2024 European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools. The bursaries are being offered via the agency's international cooperation programmes.   Registration for the events opened earlier this month (1): European Drugs Winter School (EDWS) [external website] (26 February–8 March 2024, online) Focus: Gender-sensitive approaches to drug-related issues European Drugs Summer School (EDSS) [external website] (24 June–5 July 2024, Lisbon) Focus: Psychostimulants in Europe: health…
Read more

COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
Read more

Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
Read more

Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
Read more

Bursaries offered for European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools

The EMCDDA and the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) are delighted to announce the availability of bursaries for the 2024 European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools. The bursaries are being offered via the agency's international cooperation programmes.   Registration for the events opened earlier this month (1): European Drugs Winter School (EDWS) [external website] (26 February–8 March 2024, online) Focus: Gender-sensitive approaches to drug-related issues European Drugs Summer School (EDSS) [external website] (24 June–5 July 2024, Lisbon) Focus: Psychostimulants in Europe: health…
Read more

COPOLAD III: EMCDDA embarks on week of events with Jamaican partners

This week, the EMCDDA is co-organising, with the Jamaican National Council on Drug Abuse, a series of technical meetings under the COPOLAD III programme. Taking place in Kingston, the events will focus on three topics. Cannabis policies: technical dialogue and bi-regional workshop (29–31 January) This technical dialogue will focus on the current state of cannabis policies in Jamaica, offering an opportunity for exchange with key partners working on the topic (1). A bi-regional workshop focusing on cannabis policy models and evaluation will take place on 31 January, where cannabis policy…
Read more

New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe

What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids — released today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis describes the European market for heroin (the most frequently used illicit opioid), from production and trafficking, to distribution and use. It also details the processes, materials and criminal actors…
Read more

Libyan anti-narcotics agency pays first visit to the EMCDDA

A delegation from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Control Agency of the Libyan Ministry of the Interior is visiting the EMCDDA today for the first time. The two-day visit is organised under the EU4Monitoring Drugs II project, funded by the European Union. The delegation, led by Major General Khaled Almabrok A. Omar, will meet EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel, as well as staff members responsible for the Reitox network, international cooperation and drug-related security. The aim of the visit is to discuss future cooperation between the two agencies and to exchange information about the…
Read more

Season’s greetings and warm wishes for a peaceful 2024

As the curtain falls on 2023, we look back on a year steeped in significance for the EMCDDA. While we commemorated 30 years since the agency's creation, we also prepared for a future milestone and a fundamental shift in focus. New legislation entering into force on 30 June set us on a one-year transition course to becoming the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024. We look forward to writing this exciting new chapter and addressing the drugs problem with a stronger and extended mandate. When I reflect on the past 12 months, I feel proud of the way in which the EMCDDA team has…
Read more

New report presents latest overview on drug consumption rooms in Europe

The EMCDDA and the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) have published today the latest overview on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) in Europe. The purpose of the report is to inform discussions on these facilities by examining the available evidence and reviewing the various models adopted. DCRs are a health and social response to drug-related problems. They are fixed or mobile spaces where people who use drugs are provided with sterile drug use equipment and can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They are usually located in areas where there is an open…
Read more

Lisbon Addictions 2024: registration now open!

Registration opens today for the next European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (Lisbon Addictions 2024) taking place in Lisbon from 23–25 October 2024. The multidisciplinary event will showcase cutting-edge scientific research in the addictions field and explore challenges relating to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, screen addiction, gambling and other addictive behaviours. The conference, now in its 5th edition, is intended to inform policy development and practice through a better understanding of contemporary issues in addiction science and addictive behaviours.…
Read more

Migrants and drugs — need to scale up specialised drug services in Europe

Health and social responses for migrants who use drugs are explored in a new EMCDDA miniguide launched today to mark International Migrants Day. The resource is one of a series of miniguides making up the agency's latest overview of actions and interventions to respond to the consequences of illicit drug use. Presenting key issues related to migrants and drug use, the miniguide reveals gaps in service provision and limited knowledge on the extent and nature of drug problems in this group.   Substance use prevalence rates among migrants are generally lower than those of the host populations.…
Read more

World AIDS Day: concerns over stimulant injecting and late HIV diagnoses in Europe

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the EMCDDA showcases the latest data on HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores how countries are performing on global health sector objectives to tackle HIV/AIDS. The data underscore growing concerns that a potential rise in stimulant injecting and delayed HIV diagnoses could jeopardise the slow, but constant, progress seen in recent years in HIV prevention and treatment in this population. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ('Good health and wellbeing'), the 29 EMCDDA countries (EU-27, Türkiye and Norway) have committed to eliminating…
Read more

Director presents European Drug Report 2023 at the European Parliament

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments (EDR 2023) to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). An exchange of views following the presentation will include interventions from Professor Meni Malliori, representative of the European Parliament on the EMCDDA Management Board, and Ms Iga Jeziorska, member of the core group of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). Based on data from 29 countries (EU 27, Türkiye and Norway), the EDR 2023 delivers…
Read more

New guidance for drug checking services in health risk communication

Health risk communication strategies for drug checking services in Europe is the focus of a new EMCDDA manual out today. The resource provides staff working in these services with practical guidance on communicating drug-related risks at both an individual and community level. Drug checking services are available in 11 EU Member States, as well as in Switzerland, the UK and other parts of the world. They provide potentially life-saving information on the content of drug samples submitted to them by people who use drugs, based on chemical analysis. They may also offer advice, counselling or…
Read more

Call for experts to support the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances

This week, the EMCDDA has launched a call to scientists interested in applying to be on a list of experts who may assist the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the risk assessment of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. For the purpose of assessing the risks of NPS, the Scientific Committee may be extended as considered necessary by the Executive Director, acting on the advice of the Chair of the Scientific Committee. This entails designating…
Read more

Call for expression of interest in membership of the EUDA Scientific Committee

Today, the EMCDDA has launched a call for expression of interest in membership of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The EUDA, which will replace the EMCDDA, will begin operations on 2 July 2024, the day on which its founding regulation enters into application. The role of the Scientific Committee is to assist the EUDA Management Board and Executive Director by delivering opinions on any scientific matter concerning the agency's activity which they may submit to it. Each member of the EUDA Scientific Committee will be appointed for a four-year period, which…
Read more

Latest culturally adapted EUPC training course in Portuguese delivered in Brazil

Today, the EMCDDA is kicking off the latest culturally adapted European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) basic training course in Portuguese in Brazil. Under its partnership with the COPOLAD III programme, the EMCDDA has supported the two trainers for this week's five-day online course, whom it has licensed as national trainers for Brazil. The Portuguese version is the first of three culturally adapted editions of the basic EUPC training course being developed under the EMCDDA-COPOLAD partnership and targeted at Latin American and Caribbean countries. Spanish and English versions are currently…
Read more

Key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs

Six interventions, one aim: to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs. In new public health guidance released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have joined forces to identify key interventions to address infectious diseases in this population. Reflecting new evidence, infectious disease treatments, and public health concepts, this guidance updates the 2011 edition. Injecting drug use remains a crucial risk factor for acquiring blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis…
Read more

Dialogue with European Parliament on preparations for new agency mandate

Representatives of the European Parliament are visiting the EMCDDA this week to discuss how the agency will adapt to its new mandate in 2024. New legislation published on 30 June grants the EMCDDA stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The EMCDDA will become the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) on 2 July 2024, the day on which the new regulation enters into application. The EP delegation will be composed of two members of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Isabel Santos, rapporteur for the EUDA Regulation (PT, S&D) and shadow…
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Medal of excellence for EMCDDA expert Laurent Laniel

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Laurent Laniel has been presented with the medal of excellence of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC (N)). He received the award for his professionalism, expertise, dedication and collaboration in tracking drug trafficking in the Atlantic and Mediterranean maritime domain. Laurent was presented with the medal on 18 October by the MAOC (N) Executive Director Sjoerd Top at a ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Medals were also awarded to distinguished national…
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Technical dialogue on cannabis policies kicks off in Montevideo

This week in Montevideo, the EMCDDA is co-organising with the Uruguayan Junta Nacional de Drogas, a technical dialogue on cannabis policies. The event is one of a range of activities organised by the agency under the COPOLAD III programme to strengthen drug policy and evaluation systems (1). Since 2014, the supply and use of cannabis for recreational purposes, as opposed to medical or industrial purposes, have been legalised in some American states, as well as in Uruguay since 2012 and in Canada since 2018. As Uruguay is preparing for an evaluation of its cannabis policies in the coming year…
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Bursaries offered for European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools

The EMCDDA and the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) are delighted to announce the availability of bursaries for the 2024 European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools. The bursaries are being offered via the agency's international cooperation programmes.   Registration for the events opened earlier this month (1): European Drugs Winter School (EDWS) [external website] (26 February–8 March 2024, online) Focus: Gender-sensitive approaches to drug-related issues European Drugs Summer School (EDSS) [external website] (24 June–5 July 2024, Lisbon) Focus: Psychostimulants in Europe: health…
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