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Every year, on 28 July, the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners mark World Hepatitis Day to increase awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis and the diseases it causes. It is estimated that around 290 million people worldwide are living with viral hepatitis, and many remain unaware of their status. Failure to identify the undiagnosed, and link them to care, means that millions will continue to suffer and lives will be lost. The focus of this year’s campaign is therefore ‘Find the missing millions.’
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nine JHA agencies (CEPOL, EASO, EIGE, EMCDDA, eu-LISA, Eurojust, Europol, FRA and Frontex) have been supporting the EU Member States and institutions in meeting the unprecedented challenges resulting from the outbreak of the virus in both the short and long term.
The EMCDDA will be joined by a range of its external partners today in a virtual event following on from International day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking (26 June). The meeting is a symbolic gathering of representatives of the European Commission, the Permanent Missions representing the partner countries in Brussels, the Delegations of the European Union in these countries and the partner countries’ national correspondents.
On the occasion of International day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking, the EMCDDA and Europol are joining representatives of the EU institutions today in providing the European perspective on the impact of COVID-19 on the world drug situation.
Occasion: Closing remarks on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world drug situation — the European perspective
Thank you Chairperson and colleagues,
I am pleased to provide some closing remarks to this CND special event commemorating the United Nations International day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking. We were privileged to hear the highlights from this year’s World Drug Report and to take part in a rich, and highly relevant, discussion on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world drug situation.
The EMCDDA Management Board took the unanimous decision today to renew the mandate of the agency’s Director, Alexis Goosdeel, for the next five years. Mr Goosdeel took up the post of EMCDDA Director on 1 January 2016 and will now hold the position until 31 December 2025.
A decline in stimulant drug use but some rises in the consumption of cannabis and licit substances are among the findings presented today in a new EMCDDA report The impact of COVID-19 on patterns of drug use and drug-related harms in Europe. The report describes how national confinement measures and disrupted street drug markets have reduced both the opportunities to use drugs within social environments as well as the availability of some substances.
Since the start of 2020, European countries have been experiencing an unprecedented public health threat with the emergence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In order to investigate the effects and implications of this pandemic for people who use drugs in Europe, the EMCDDA instigated a mixed-method trendspotter study to investigate the current situation. This briefing provides a snapshot of the state of play with respect to the impact of COVID-19 on drug consumption patterns and drug-related harms during the early stages of the pandemic.
New products and services, working in partnership, and support to policy and practice in the fields of health and security are among the features presented in the latest EMCDDA General Report of Activities published today. The report, covering key achievements and governance in 2019, presents the implementation of the agency’s work programme activities over the 12-month period.
The General Report of Activities is an annual publication providing a detailed progress report of the EMCDDA’s activities over a 12-month period. It catalogues the Centre’s achievements in each area of its annual work programme. The report is a useful information source for all those seeking comprehensive information on the Centre and its work
Today, EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel presented to the European Parliament the agency’s recent research findings on the impact of COVID-19 on the drug phenomenon in Europe.
The purpose of this technical report is to provide an analysis of the available information on N,N-diethyl-2-[[4-(1-methylethoxy)phenyl]methyl]-5-nitro-1H-benzimidazole-1-ethanamine (commonly known as isotonitazene), an opioid analgesic that has recently emerged on the drug market in Europe, to support a risk assessment of the substance that has been requested by the European Commission in accordance with Article 5c of Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006 (as amended).
What effect is COVID-19 having on the largest criminal market in the EU? This question is explored in EU Drug Markets: Impact of COVID-19, a new report out today from the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol (1). The analysis reports higher prices, local shortages and reduced purity for some drugs, while noting continued violence among suppliers and distributors.
This page describes the EMCDDA's ongoing work on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on drug markets in the EU. As well as showcasing EMCDDA publications on the topic, it also provides the reader with useful relevant resources from partner organisations.
What effect is COVID-19 having on the drug market in the EU? This joint publication from the EMCDDA and Europol analyses the impact of the pandemic on the market for the main drug types (cannabis, heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, NPS), including demand, production, trafficking and availability. It reports higher prices, local shortages and reduced purity for some drugs, while noting continued violence among suppliers and distributors.
Following an agreement made in 2017 between the ruling coalition parties in New Zealand, it has been announced that a referendum on legalising the recreational use of cannabis will be held together with the next general election, on 19 September 2020.
On this page, the EMCDDA has compiled examples of advice being issued to people who use drugs and service providers by some national bodies and different associations, networks and NGOs.
Testing for drug-related infectious diseases among people who inject drugs (PWID) is crucial if international health targets are to be met. This is among the conclusions of a new EMCDDA report out today: Drug-related infectious diseases in Europe. The update, from the agency’s drug-related infectious disease network, stresses that early diagnosis through testing, and improving links to treatment and care, are crucial steps towards reaching global health goals.
This 2020 EMCDDA update on drug-related infectious diseases aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current situation with regard to the epidemiological picture of drug-related infectious diseases in Europe up to January 2020, while highlighting some of the current innovative responses to the problem.
As Europe grapples with the unprecedented public health threat posed by COVID-19, how is the outbreak affecting drug users and service providers? In a new study published today — Impact of COVID-19 on drug services and help-seeking in Europe — the EMCDDA reports signs of a drop in the availability of drug services during the pandemic and in the numbers of those seeking help.
Since the start of 2020, European countries have been experiencing an unprecedented public health threat with the emergence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In order to investigate the effects and implications of this outbreak for drug services in Europe, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction instigated a mixed-method trendspotter study to provide a snapshot of the current situation. This exercise provides a rapid assessment of the state of play in respect to the impact of COVID-19 on service provision and help-seeking behaviour among people who use drugs.
The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted on our daily lives, including our behaviour as consumers. Just as we have seen online shopping for other goods increase during lockdowns, will we see a similar shift when it comes to illicit drugs? In a special report out today, Drug supply via darknet markets, the EMCDDA explores whether established methods of drug supply and distribution to consumers have changed during recent restrictions on movement.
This report is a rapid and preliminary analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on selected online markets. Three relatively large darknet markets were reviewed for the purposes of this study, selected because of their importance to the EU market and because they could be accessed to provide information necessary to comment on activity levels. A limitation of this study is that not all major darknet markets could be included at the time of drafting (April 2020). Qualitative information from a number of online forums was also analysed to further inform the analysis provided here.
Revolutionary changes, both in the extent and nature of the drugs problem, and in the world in which we live, have called for constant reflection, innovation and agility to keep pace with new developments and rethink existing routines. This is why the EMCDDA has adopted a multi-indicator approach to monitoring in its response to a fast-moving drugs problem.
Over the past quarter of a century, the EMCDDA has expanded its monitoring capability to keep pace with revolutionary changes in the extent and nature of the drugs problem and in the world in which we live. By complementing data routinely submitted by Member States with information from an expanding range of leading-edge sources shown below, the agency can now respond with more timely and rounded analyses to inform drug policies and practice in the years to come.
Isotonitazene is a synthetic opioid analgesic monitored by the EMCDDA as a new psychoactive substance through the European Union Early Warning System since 2019. Based on potential public health risks, an initial report has been prepared and submitted to the Commission and the Member States, in accordance with Article 5b of Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006 (as amended). Its purpose is to provide scientific evidence to the Commission to allow it to make an informed decision regarding whether or not there is a need to request a risk assessment on a new psychoactive substance.
The European Drugs Summer School (EDSS) will switch to remote teaching this year in an effort to help curb the spread of COVID-19 and reduce pressure on health services.
The 2020 EDSS — organised by the EMCDDA and the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) — will run from 29 June to 10 July. Under the general theme ‘Illicit drugs in Europe: demand, supply and public policies’, the 2020 course will provide a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of the drugs problem in Europe and beyond. The focus this year will be on hepatitis C.
Crucial information on the impact of COVID-19 on people who use drugs, and on the services that support them, will be collected via a special round of the European Web Survey on Drugs, launched this week. The survey — the Mini European Web Survey on Drugs: COVID-19 — is coordinated by the EMCDDA in collaboration with its Reitox network of national focal points.
Drugs have long been a cross-border phenomenon. As drug problems in Europe are increasingly linked to, and influenced by, global developments, it is crucial that our analysis of trends and developments be placed in the wider international context. This is why working with external partners is a key area of our work, increasing our understanding of the external dimension of the drug phenomenon as well as boosting our preparedness to react quickly to new threats.