Drugs in focus

This policy briefing considers the development of evidence-based drug demand reduction interventions. Following a definition of key terms used in the evidence-based drug demand reduction arena, the briefing then presents the main...

This briefing paper describes some of the practical and legal obstacles facing Member States when responding to such new substances. It underlines the importance of national early-warning systems in detecting and identifying...

Khat leaves are cultivated in the highlands of the Horn of Africa, Southern Arabia and along the East African coast. In many countries, chewing khat is an age-old tradition. More recently, the...

This briefing paper for policymakers presents how new discoveries in neurobiology have the potential to transform our perception of drug addiction and its treatment, whilst also considering the ethical issues such treatment...

Many of the accidents and deaths that occur on European roads are caused by drivers whose performance is impaired by a psychoactive substance. Alcohol alone is estimated to account for up to...

Summary: Substance use is generally associated with young people, but such problems have no age limits. Current evidence in relation to the elderly is limited, making it difficult to estimate the precise...

Over the past decade, media interest in the use of hallucinogenic mushrooms appears to have been driven by open marketing of these mushrooms and by the legal changes made in some countries...

The need to prevent drug-related crime is high on the European policy agenda, as illustrated by the fact that the current EU drug strategy identifies this objective as a key area of...

Cocaine use presents new challenges for Europe’s drug treatment services. Although services can leverage experiences gained in responding to other types of drug problems, the pharmacology of cocaine, the social diversity of...

Comorbidity is often underestimated and underdiagnosed. Two main groups of comorbid drug users are recognised, each with distinct profiles. One group is dominated by people with psychiatric illness and the second group...