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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 Us.
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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 Us We are the only EU network advocating for prevention and rehabilitation focused drug policies
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 Fay.watson@eurad.net