New report reveals the latest drug trends in Europe
by Brian Galvin
In June 2015 the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) published the European drug report 2015: trends and developments, summarising the latest trends across the 28 EU member states, and Norway and Turkey.1 The European drug report highlights changing dynamics in the heroin market, with an overall stagnation in the demand for heroin in Europe. The report warns, however, that an increase in production in most of the countries supplying Europe with heroin could result in more of the drug becoming available in European drug markets. Other changes in market dynamics, including processing of heroin inside Europe, the emergence of alternative trafficking routes and diversification of products from opioid-producing countries in Asia, need to be monitored carefully. As the age profile of heroin users increases, providing appropriate treatment and care to long-term users is a growing challenge for drug treatment and social services.
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EMCDDA select new director
by Brian Galvin
The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has selected Alexis Goosdeel (Belgium) as the agency's new Director, starting on 1 January 2016. Mr Goosdeel, a psychologist with a background in public health, has been head of the EMCDDA's Reitox and international relations unit since 2005. This work involves coordinating a network of 30 national drug monitoring centres and preparing EU candidate and potential candidate countries for membership of the EMCDDA.
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Ireland's national suicide strategy 2015-2010, and the evidence base
by Jean Long
On 18 June 2015 the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD, launched Ireland’s national suicide strategy Connecting for life.1 The strategy envisions an Ireland where fewer lives are lost through suicide, and where communities and individuals are empowered to improve their mental health and wellbeing. This vision will be achieved through seven goals:
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IMO targets addiction and dependency
byBrigid Pike
On 11 June 2015 the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) launched a policy paper on addiction and dependency.1 Speaking at the launch, IMO President, Dr Ray Walley, said: ‘Addiction and dependency are some of the most challenging public health policy issues of recent times and IMO doctors are advocating for sensible and workable measures that should be examined by legislators and policy-makers to loosen the grip that substance abuse and addiction has placed on large tracts of our society.’
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CityWide starts debate ahead of UNGASS 2016
byBrigid Pike
Everyone knows that in a few months’ time, April 2016, the UN General Assembly will be holding a two-day debate on the UN’s drug prohibition policy. It is the first time that all 190-odd UN member states have debated the drugs issue since 1998, when they voted for a plan to make the world drug-free by 2008. Reviewing this plan in 2009, the member states agreed the drugs issue remained a ‘serious problem’, and voted in a new political declaration and plan of action to continue tackling the problem.1
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Towards UNGASS 2016
Since Issue 48, Drugnet Ireland has carried ‘Towards UNGASS 2016’ as a regular column. It reports on policy initiatives, research and debates launched by the UN, member states and civil society organisations in the lead-up to the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on the world drug problem, due to be held in New York on 19–21 April 2016. www.ungass2016.org
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Judging prohibition
byJohnny Connolly
Given the growing international debate about the merits of the so-called war on drugs, ‘So prohibition can work?’ is the provocative title of a recent article which reports on a study that considered the impact of the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act introduced in Ireland 2010 in response to the ‘headshop’ phenomenon.1 This legislation led to the closure of 90% of the headshops then in existence throughout Ireland.2 The study examined the use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) by adolescents attending addiction treatment both before and after the introduction of the legislation. Included in the study were all adolescents entering assessment at one outpatient service, comparing the six months immediately prior to the legislation in May 2010 with the same six-month period the following year.
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Misuse of Drugs Amendment) Act 2015
by Johnny Connolly
The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Act 2015 had to be introduced as emergency legislation after a court struck down a series of regulations introduced over the past two decades banning certain drugs.1 In what the Court of Appeal said was a ‘constitutional issue of far-reaching importance’, the three-judge court unanimously said a regulation making the possession of methylethcathinone illegal was invalid.2 The substance is also known as 4-Mec or Snow Blow. The judgement raises a number of questions about the rationale behind the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, the principal legislation that underlines drug prohibition in Ireland. In particular, it raises questions about the way in which concepts such as drug harm and drug misuse are defined and incorporated into the criminal law. This article presents an edited version of the judgement.
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National Drugs Strategy (NDS) 2009-2016: progress in 2014
by Brigid Pike
The progress report for 2014 provides a narrative account of progress against each action in the NDS 2009–2016, for the year 2014.1 It indicates which actions under each pillar have been completed, where work is in under way, and where actions have been delayed or abandoned (Table 1).
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