Perspectives on Drugs (PODs)

The European market for hashish is currently one of the world’s largest and most profitable. About 647 tonnes of cannabis herb and 641 tonnes of hashish were consumed in the European Union...

The use of substitution drugs for the treatment of opioid dependence represents a key evidence-based response to heroin problems in Europe. However, the diversion of these medicines from their intended use in...

Comorbidity of substance use and mental health disorders refers to the co-occurrence of a substance use disorder and another mental health disorder in the same individual. In Europe, the presence of psychiatric...

The emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS) over the last decade has posed a major challenge to drug policy. While the limited available data indicates that prevalence levels of NPS use are...

Synthetic drugs have been produced illicitly in Europe for over 40 years and, by global standards, Europe remains a significant producer today. Described in this analysis are current trends in illicit synthetic...

Over 80 synthetic cathinone derivatives were detected via the EU Early Warning System (EU–EWS) between 2005 and 2014. This analysis explores new worrying localised and national outbreaks of injecting these substances and...

Synthetic cannabinoids represent the largest group of substances currently monitored in Europe by the EMCCDA through the EU Early Warning System. Current knowledge on these substances and trends in production, availability, use...

Psychosocial interventions are structured psychological or social interventions used to address substance-related problems. They can be used at different stages of drug treatment to identify the problem, treat it and assist with...

More than 9 000 lives were reported to be lost to drug overdoses in Europe (28 EU Member States, Turkey and Norway) in 2016, the latest reporting year, and this is an...

Imported heroin has historically been available in Europe in two forms, the most common being brown heroin (its chemical base form), originating mainly in Afghanistan and other countries in south-west Asia. Less...