Minutes of the 2012 EMCDDA expert meeting on Prevalence and patterns of drug use among the general population

Summary

These are the minutes fron the 2012 annual expert meeting on the EMCDDA epidemiological indicator 'Prevalence and patterns of drug use among the general population' which took place the 26 and 27 June at the EMCDDA in Lisbon. The annual expert general population survey meeting brought together experts from almost all Member States, as well as from the ESPAD and HBSC international schools survey projects, a group of Balkan country experts and others from as far afield as Australia.

The meeting objectives were to: provide an overview of progress in the Key Indicator and survey results for 2011/2012; exchange information between countries and international projects; promote methodological discussion about ways to progress through national studies and EU Reitox reporting, and promote discussion about measuring and describing patterns of substance use. Another objective was to promote discussion about ways to analyse and interpret trends, particularly in relation to cannabis, cocaine and alcohol use. Specific topics included: a special focus on response rates and ways to address concerns about low response in some countries. Other methodological foci were the progress in the harmonisation of questionnaire wording as well as ensuring comparable analysis. A special session was included on intensive cocaine and intensive cannabis use.