“New psychoactive substances (NPS) have emerged at the start of this millennium, initially attracting a small number of drug enthusiasts. Around 2010 the rise of brick & mortar NPS stores accelerated the diffusion of these unscheduled drugs in several EU countries and, with 400 new drugs notified to the EMCDDA in 2014, their proliferation as well. Scheduling new substances reportedly resulted in decreases in their overall availability but seems to fuel a rapid cycling but endless supply of new drugs and may also have contributed to their diffusion into more vulnerable population segments. With the rapid uptake of internet technology and ecommerce, iDrugs (Internet-sourced drugs) will increasingly find new customers in and beyond Europe. Drug services and drug policy makers have been slow to adjust to the “changing landscape of intoxication.” With the critique of international drug policy peaking at UNGASS on international drugs, yesterday’s drug policies responses are unlikely to contribute to effective drug control in the 21st century and may actually impede implementation of effective evidence-based responses”

Prague, 26 February 2016
Jean-Paul Grund, Lenka Vavrincikova & Michal Miovsky

NPS IN EUROPE PROJECT

The NPSinEurope.eu Project contributed to the development of innovative and effective health promotion interventions regarding emerging NPS use in Europe by bringing together quality research capacity  a selected group of experienced service providers in the field of health promotion and harm reduction  and the Correlation Network.

The NPSinEurope.eu Project results were presented and spread by a special issue of “Adiktologie”, a peer reviewed journal, based on an interdisciplinary approach to addictive substances and their use. In this special issue of the journal were also presented other European projects results, focused on NPS (the articles will be published in next BAONPS newsletters) read more

The Emperor’s New Clothes?

GRUND, J-P. C., VAVRINCIKOVA, L., JANIKOVA, B., FIDESOVA, H., MIOVSKY, M.

The EC-DPIP NPSinEurope.eu project contributes to innovative and effective health promotion interventions targeting the emerging use of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) among people who use drugs heavily (PUDH). In five countries, we conducted a rapid assessment and response (RAR) study of NPS use, aimed at informing these emerging interventions. read more

New Psychoactive Substances among People Who Use Drugs Heavily in Europe. 

JANIKOVA, B. , FIDESOVA, H., VAVRINCIKOVA, L. , MIOVSKY, M. , GRUND, J-P. C.

An increasing number of new psychoactive substances (NPS) in seizures and their usage in various populations and, in some countries, heavily in the population of high-risk (including injecting) users is a general trend in Europe. It logically leads to the objective of finding out what the specific situation related to NPS in the context of the subpopulation of high-risk users is. read more

Netreach Work: Implementing Web-based Harm Reduction Interventions with Online Drug Users

VALE PIRES, C., CAUDEVILLA GÁLLIGO, F., VALENTE, H.

The globalisation process and new technologies paved the way for the emergence of empowered and global online drug cultures and shaped the way people purchase and use drugs, search for drug information, and discuss and share drug use practices and knowledge with their peers. This growing reality is opening up a new field of intervention, and harm reduction professionals should equip themselves to respond to this reality. read more

Alerts from drug checking on field – Italy

FORNERO E.

In May and June, two alerts were spread among Italian local networks and published on the project website:

⇒ WARNING!!!!! 25B-NBOMe SOLD INSTEAD OF LSA
On 28^th May 2016 a client of the drug-checking service in Pisa submitted a sample for examination, initially thinking it was a LSA trip. There was a pink circle in the centre of the white blotter.

Read more 

⇒ WARNING!!!!! 25I-NBOMe SOLD INSTEAD OF LSD (125µg)
On 25th June 2016, a client of the drug-checking service in Perugia submitted a sample for examination, initially thinking it was a trip containing 125µg of LSD; the blotter was black and red coloured.

Read more 

ČLANKI

• Ecstasy and MDMA are stronger now than even before

The BBC reports that Ecstasy and MDMA are currently amidst a resurgence in popularity within society, and that – in contrast to what everyone thinks – the pills are getting stronger. A report by the EMCDDA  states there has been a “recent resurgence in use of MDMA in Europe and increased availability of high-strength MDMA tablets and powders.”

http://stoneyroads.com/2016/05/ecstasy-and-mdma-are-stronger-now-than-ever-before

• Dipendenze Svizzera: l’ecstasy è tornata ad animare la vita notturna europea (only in Italian)

La Relazione europea sulla droga 2016, fresca di pubblicazione, conferma che l’ecstasy è tornata ad essere uno degli stimolanti preferiti dai festaioli di tutta Europa […]”Drug checking”: è necessario ridurre i danni che potrebbero subire le persone che decidono di consumare ecstasy. A tale scopo, una misura potrebbe essere quella di testare le pasticche di ecstasy o le altre droghe[…]In questo modo è possibile instaurare un dialogo con i consumatori e spiegare loro quali sono i rischi che corrono.

http://www.tio.ch/News/Svizzera/Attualita/1088595/Dipendenze-Svizzera-l-ecstasy-e-tornata-ad-animare-la-vita-notturna-europea/

PUBLIKACIJE

• EMCDDA, “EUROPEAN DRUG REPORT 2016”

The report presents a top-level overview of the drug phenomenon in Europe, covering drug supply, use and public health problems as well as drug policy and responses. The health risks of high-potency products, the continued emergence of new substances, and changing patterns of drug use are among the issues highlighted in the European Drug Report 2016. The report also examines concern over rises in overdose deaths in some countries and the threats posed by internet drug markets.

http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/edr2016
 

VIDEI

• LSD vs 25I-NBOMe

This video compares LSD (also known as Lysergic acid diethylamide, Acid, or LSD-25) and the research chemical 25I-NBOMe (also known as 2C-I-NBOMe, N-Bomb, or Smiles). Information is provided regarding the history of these drugs, the deaths that have occurred as a result of their use, and methods of identification.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ6hGs4fRmA

• NBOMe Related Deaths, Hospitalizations, & Overdoses

In 2012 NeuroSoup received a report of a hospitalization due to the consumption of 25B-NBOMe (2C-B-NBOMe). The bad reaction occurred after a Texas man consumed this substance thinking it was a dose of LSD. Later they  found out that it was in fact the research chemical 25B-NBOMe. There was also  a 25I-NBOMe and 25B-NBOMe related death in Australia in March 2012 and two overdoses in September 2012.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUVfzf_lGjg&list=PLx9U4ycla4jfEWD1ubcFWxmXueQkLJaSs