Transcript Document

Psychoactive Substances: Issues
For Policy Makers
Fay Watson, Secretary General, EURAD
Summary
• About Us
• Psychoactive Substances: Issues For Policy
Makers
• An update on draft EU legislation on new
psychoactive substances
About Us
We are the only EU network advocating for prevention and rehabilitation focused drug
policies
Psychoactive Substances: Issues For
Policy Makers
The Use of Psychoactive Substances:
Spikes In Trends Rather Than A Rising
Tide?
The intertwined markets of NPS and
illicit substances
• Production: NPS have been found to contain controlled substances
(Brandt et al, 2010; Ramsey et al, 2010 & EMCDDA, 2011a)
• Distribution: Sold alongside controlled substances on online forums
but mostly sold in friendship groups
• Consumption: Users of new psychoactive substances frequently
have had experiences with other illicit drugs (Wood, 2012; Miller et
al, 2009).
Evidence of adverse effects exists but
few data systems to capture harm of
new substances
National Responses To NPS
• Combined legislative approaches (i.e. Romania)
• Consumer legislation (i.e. Poland, Sweden)
• Regulated sales (i.e. New Zealand)
• Pharmaceutical legislation (i.e. Austria)
• Healthcare responses (i.e. WEDINOS, Wales)
Public Opinion- Comprehensive Ways
To Tackle Drug Problems
• 49% think that prevention campaigns would be
effective in reducing drug problems
• 37% think that rehabilitation would be effective
in reducing drug problems
• 24% think that addressing social issues (i.e.
poverty and unemployment) would be effective
in reducing drug problems
Public Opinion- Legislative Ways To
Tackle Psychoactive Substances
Whatever the approach, one of the
most important elements is….
An update on draft EU legislation on
new psychoactive substances
• Proposals announced 17th September 2013
• Proposal includes a reduction in the time taken to
respond to NPS at the EU level
• Takes a consumer approach rather than a drug
control approach
An update on draft EU legislation on
new psychoactive substances
Co-presented by:
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Contact Me
Fay Watson
Secretary General
17 Rue Archimede
Brussels
Belgium
[email protected]