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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 UsWe 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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