Spreading information on the risks of drug use: a European challenge

22 Aug 2014 02:51 PM

Young Europeans are less informed about the effects and risks of drugs than just a few years ago.  While they widely use the Internet to gather knowledge, a new Eurobarometer survey shows that compared to 2011, respondents are less likely to have received such information from most sources, in particular from media campaigns and school prevention programmes. 

More than one quarter of young people (29%) say they have not been informed at all in the past year about the effects and risks of so-called legal highs – currently legal substances that imitate the effects of illegal drugs. This comes at a time when the number of young people saying they have used 'legal highs' has risen to 8%, from 5% in 2011.

More than 13,000 citizens aged 15-24 were interviewed for the Eurobarometer "Young People and Drugs" across the EU. Drug use and drug-related problems continue to be a major concern for EU citizens. They are also a significant public health and public safety issue. According to studies by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), drug experimentation often starts in the school years, and it is estimated that one in four 15-16 year-olds have used an illicit drug. In recent years, the use of 'legal-highs' has become increasingly popular, and the European Commission is working to strengthen the EU's ability to protect young people by reducing the availability of harmful substances, as part of an overall drug policy regulatory framework

As the new figures confirm, increasing knowledge and spreading information is another crucial task. The European Commission has used funds from five EU financial programmes to support a number of projects aimed at, among others, boosting detection and identification of new psychoactive substances and the risks associated with them. A number of projects also help those encountering and charged with dealing with these drugs on the ground. A new report published this week gives an overview of 18 projects that have received such funding since 2007.

Activities supported by the Commission, some of which are yet to be completed, range from developing improved means of detecting and analysing new psychoactive substances to training those working in places where drug use might occur (such as bars or nightclubs) in some Member States so that they can identify acute health problems related to these drugs and aid those affected. A number of projects dealt with spreading knowledge and advice, through means such as websites, telephone hotlines and sending volunteers to big festivals. Other projects for example fostered cooperation and the exchange of information among national prosecutors and law enforcement authorities.

Background

On 17 September 2013, the Commission proposed to strengthen the European Union’s ability to respond to 'legal highs' by introducing a quicker mechanism to withdraw harmful psychoactive substances from the market (IP/13/837 and MEMO/13/790). On 17 April 2014, the European Parliament voted to back the draft regulation (IP/14/461). To become law, the Commission's proposal needs to be adopted by the Member States in Council, following the ordinary legislative procedure.

EU countries have flagged more than 360 new psychoactive substances through the Early Warning System since 1997. Ten substances have been submitted to control measures across the EU, following proposals from the European Commission – most recently, Mephedrone, 4-MA and 5-IT.

On 16 June this year, the European Commission proposed to ban four new psychoactive substances which simulate the effects of illicit drugs such as heroin or LSD - MDPV, 25I-NBOMe, AH-7921 and methoxetamine. In addition, the European Commission requested the Scientific Committee of EMCDDA to conduct risk assessments on two more new psychoactive substances – 4,4’-DMAR and MT-45 - to see if there are grounds to propose bans later this year.

For more information

Eurobarometer "Young People and Drugs" and specific results for your country regarding young people and drugs: link

European Commission – Drug control policy:

http://ec.europa.eu/justice/anti-drugs/index_en.htm

European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction 'European Drug Report' 2014:

http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/edr2014

Homepage of Martine Reicherts, EU Justice Commissioner:

http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/reicherts/index_en.htm

Follow Martine Reicherts on Twitter and on Facebook

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