Abstract: The main objective of the guidelines is to provide a European audience with basic information on the options, elements and procedures of drug-related treatment evaluation. The target readership includes professionals working in treatment services for substance use and dependence, administrators and officials in social and health authorities, researchers dealing with treatment of substance dependence, and those who professionally or politically may have an interest in evidence from treatment evaluation.

Abstract: The main goal of the First European conference on drug supply indicators was to launch the work needed to establish a set of technically sound and sustainable indicators for monitoring drug markets, crime and supply reduction for Europe. The event brought together for the first time a wide range of European and international experts to assess the current state of the art in this domain and develop a realistic strategy for moving forward in an area of importance for European drug policies. The conference was a joint venture between the European Commission (EC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) with the active involvement of Europol. The key conclusions from the event are presented in this document.

Abstract: The last two decades have witnessed an increase in the development of treatment guidelines in the European drugs field. This has largely built on a body of evidence on the treatment of drug dependence that has developed since the 1980s, alongside a growing interest in, and understanding of, the eff ectiveness of interventions. A range of tools became available to translate evidence into satisfactory and sustainable results, among them : guidelines and standards, education and training, implementation and assessment, monitoring, and accreditation systems based on quality standards. The focus of this Selected issue is drug dependence treatment guidelines – one of the main measures used to improve and guarantee the quality of drug treatment provision. The focus on drug dependence treatment is timely and appropriate, as current estimates suggest that at least 1.1 million people were treated for illicit drug use in the European Union, Croatia, Turkey and Norway during 2009 (1). This is the consequence of a major expansion of specialised outpatient services during the last twenty years, with the significant inclusion of primary healthcare, self-help groups, general mental health services, and outreach and low-threshold service providers. While more than half of clients received opioid substitution treatment, a substantial number received other forms of treatment for problems related to opioids, stimulants, cannabis and other illicit drugs. The main modalities used for the treatment of drug problems in Europe are opioid substitution, detoxification and psychosocial interventions. Drug dependence treatment services are provided in a variety of settings: specialised treatment units (including outpatient and inpatient centres), mental health clinics and hospitals, units in prison, lowthreshold agencies and by offi ce-based general practitioners. Particularly in western Europe, there appears to have been a gradual shift away from a view of drug dependence treatment as the responsibility of a few specialist disciplines providing intensive, short-term interventions towards a multidisciplinary, integrated and longer-term approach. Evidence suggests that continuous care and integrated treatment responses may be aided by the development and use of guidelines, care protocols and case management by all the relevant service providers (Haggerty et al., 2003). This publication sets out to introduce the topic of treatment quality improvement by the development of guidelines (and other documents), and to provide an overview of the existing national guidelines for the treatment of drug dependence in Europe.

Abstract: The heroin epidemics that spread across Europe in the 1980s resulted in increasing numbers of overdose deaths among opioid users. Although the annual number of reported deaths peaked around the turn of the millennium, drug overdose still claimed more than 70 000 in Europe in the subsequent decade. Despite the fact that recent data show some promising signs, with the number of reported overdose deaths falling from around 7 700 to 6 500 between 2009 and 2011, stable or increasing death tolls continue to be reported, for example in Estonia, Sweden and the United Kingdom (Scotland).

Abstract: The harmful use of alcohol creates a significant disease burden and in many countries causes public health problems leading to a substantial health, social and economic burden. Reducing the harmful use of alcohol is becoming a priority on the national, regional and global levels; it can be done by implementing strategies of proven effectiveness. This report presents the latest data from the WHO European Region on alcohol consumption and harm and the responses made to them in countries. It summarizes the situation in the Region as a whole and gives profiles of its 53 countries, presenting consolidated tables and graphs with data on some of the key indicators from the 2009 survey on alcohol and health. In addition, the report describes the WHO instruments and activities that are available to support countries in building on the gains they have already made in this area. Alkoholmissbrauch ist für eine erhebliche Krankheitslast verantwortlich und stellt in vielen Ländern das Gesundheitswesen vor Probleme, die eine beträchtliche Belastung für Mensch, Gesellschaft und Wirtschaft darstellen. Die Bekämpfung des Alkoholmissbrauchs wird zu einer Priorität auf nationaler, regionaler und globaler Ebene und kann durch Umsetzung von nachweislich wirksamen Strategien erfolgen. In diesem Bericht werden die neuesten Daten aus der Europäischen Region der WHO über Alkoholkonsum und dadurch bedingte Schäden sowie die in den Ländern ergriffenen Gegenmaßnahmen präsentiert. Neben einer Zusammenfassung der Situation in der Region insgesamt werden auch Profile der 53 Mitgliedstaaten erstellt; dies geschieht mittels konsolidierter Tabellen und Grafiken mit Daten zu einigen der wichtigsten Indikatoren aus der Studie von 2009 über Alkohol und Gesundheit. Darüber hinaus werden in dem Bericht die Instrumente und Aktionen geschildert, mit denen die WHO die Länder dabei unterstützen kann, an den auf diesem Gebiet bereits erzielten Erfolgen anzuknüpfen. L’usage nocif de l’alcool est à l’origine d’une importante charge de morbidité. Dans beaucoup de pays, il cause des problèmes de santé publique venant grever le fardeau sanitaire, social et économique. Réduire l’usage nocif de l’alcool devient une priorité aux niveaux national, régional et mondial. À cette fin, des stratégies à efficacité avérée peuvent être adoptées. Ce rapport compile les dernières données de la Région européenne de l’OMS en ce qui concerne la consommation d’alcool et ses effets nocifs, ainsi que les mesures de lutte prises dans les pays. Il résume la situation régionale dans son ensemble et présente le profil de ses 53 États membres, à l’aide de tableaux et de graphiques récapitulatifs qui illustrent les données relatives à plusieurs indicateurs essentiels provenant de l’étude menée en 2009 sur l’alcool et la santé. En outre, le rapport décrit les instruments et activités de l’OMS qui sont disponibles pour aider les pays à consolider les gains déjà réalisés dans ce domaine. Во многих странах вредное употребление алкоголя связано со значительным бременем болезней, приводя к негативным медицинским, социальным и экономическим последствиям. Поэтому сокращение вредного употребления алкоголя становится одной из приоритетных задач на национальном, региональном и глобальном уровнях. Эта цель может быть достигнута путем реализации стратегий, эффективность которых уже доказана. В настоящем докладе представлены последние данные по Европейскому региону о потреблении алкоголя и наносимом им вреде, а также об ответных действиях на уровне стран. В нем дается краткое описание ситуации в Регионе в целом, и приведены профили всех 53 государств – членов Региона, в том числе в виде сводных таблиц и графиков с данными по ряду ключевых показателей, взятыми из проведенного в 2009 г. обследования по вопросам алкоголя и здоровья. Кроме того, в докладе дается описание документов и мероприятий ВОЗ, которые могут оказать поддержку странам в развитии тех успехов, которых они уже добились в этой области.