EU takes action to control three harmful new drugs

New EU legal measures, which entered into force this month, will see three harmful new psychoactive substances (NPS) brought under control across the EU. The substances — all new synthetic cathinones — are: 2-methylmethcathinone (2-MMC), 4-bromomethcathinone (4-BMC) and N-ethylnorpentedrone (NEP). These are now classified as controlled ‘drugs’ under EU law. The decision to control the substances was introduced by the European Commission last year through a Delegated Directive, amending the existing legal framework designed to bring a stronger and faster response to NPS in Europe (1). The…