Abstract: Trends in injecting drug use in Europe is the title of the latest EMCDDA Selected issue publication. This volume brings together data from a wide variety of sources as it describes Europe’s current drug injecting problem and plots its trends in recent years. Responses to drug injecting and measures to reduce the harm caused by this form of drug use are also reviewed. The report finds that the available data point to a stable or declining trend of injecting in most European countries, with effective treatment and harm-reduction measures now reaching many users. Despite this, there is still a large population of drug injectors in Europe, and there continue to be signs of recent recruitment in some countries.

Abstract: Since the mid-1990s, GHB – widely used in human and veterinary medicine for 30 years – has been surfacing as a recreational drug. Some EU countries have reported worries over GHB’s surreptitious use in sexual assaults. Although the extent of this is unknown, the EMCDDA and its risk-assessment partners are recommending that Member States consider the role of GHB and other drugs in this area. The risk-assessment exercise was carried out in 2000 in the framework of the Joint action on new synthetic drugs. In March 2001, the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council adopted formal conclusions that Member States should monitor this drug closely. This publication records the findings and conclusions of the exercise. Among others, it draws together the various elements used to assess the substance including: the final risk-assessment report; contributions from Europol and the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products; a review of pharmacotoxicological data; epidemiological evidence on the associated public-health risks and sociological and criminological evidence.

Abstract: This publication was drawn up by the steering group created by the EMCDDA’s Scientific Committee in November 1998 to establish guidelines to assess the risks of all new synthetic drugs identified under the terms of the Joint Action concerning the information exchange, risk assessment and control of new synthetic drugs adopted on 16 June 1997 by the Council of the European Union. The publication explains the history of the joint action and how it operates, and outlines basic principles, a conceptual framework and quality information for future risk assessments.