Selected trends and some insights in prevention

European Drug Report (EDR) package

EDR: country overviews

State and trends
- Cannabis
- Stimulants
- Other drugs
Prevention
Main topics

Cannabis

Cannabis: Europe’s most commonly used drug
73.6 million adults ever used cannabis
14.6 million young adults used last year

Cannabis: divergent national trends
9 countries — statistically
significant trend
Regional patterns observable
Latest surveys — divergence
continues

Cannabis-related problems continue
Most frequently
reported drug by
new treatment entrants
Almost 1% of adults
daily users

Cannabis supply
Domestic production up
Cultivation of
plants high in THC
Potency increases for
herb and recently resin

Acute emergencies for cannabinoids rare,
but increasing
Cannabis-related emergencies — a growing problem in high-prevalence countries
Synthetic cannabinoids —
new dimension
Use limited, but can be highly potent

Stimulants

A geographically divided stimulant market
2.2 million Europeans
(15–34 years old) used cocaine in the last year
1.3 million used ecstasy
1.2 million used amphetamines

Cocaine: continued signs of decline
Most commonly
used stimulant, but…
Declines seen for higher prevalence countries
And in 11 of 12 new surveys

Cocaine: continued signs of decline
Seizures decline
from 2008
Decrease for first-time treatment entrants

Methamphetamines
CZ and SK: longer term entrenched patterns of use, but treatment up
CZ/DE: cross border markets
North: interlinked with amphetamine
New psychoactive Substances
more new compounds reported every year, but overall small market size in most countries
Further developments

New psychoactive substances —
no signs of decline
81 reported to
EWS in 2013
Largest group –
synthetic cannabinoids
30 ‘other’ compounds

Overall situation: Situation
Increasingly complex market — with old/new drug divide becoming less relevant, new products, new channels
Polydrug use the norm — boundaries blurred between illicit substances, NPS, medicines, alcohol
Stagnation and decline in EU heroin and cocaine indicators,
but replacement substances and NPS cause concern

Overall situation: Responses
Clear progress made on major public health objectives
Availability of treatment and interventions increased over the years
National-level exceptions still a challenge
Policies and responses that target a single substance, losing their traction

Best Practice in
Prevention

Classification of prevention interventions

Prevention: Some basics
What has proven to be ineffective
Information provision only
Standalone mass-media campaigns for alcohol and tobacco consumption
General approach
Early start
Overall approach targeting use of different substances

Prevention for community members
Comprehensive community based programmes are more effective than interventions targeting community or school only in reducing licit and illicit drug use among high risk young individuals
Multicomponent and interactive programs are effective in reducing licit drug use

Prevention interventions for school students
School based interventions based on social influence and/or on skill-based interventions have been proven to be effective in reducing licit and illicit drug use
interventions aimed at disadvantaged students and interventions peer-lead have shown promising results

Prevention interventions for families
Comprehensive family-oriented prevention interventions proved to be effective in reducing substance use (licit and illicit)
Home visitation for disadvantaged families showed effects in reducing licit substance use

Some practical examples
School policy development
Safer Nightlife