NEW PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE USE IN EUROPE: PREVALENCE, PROBLEMS AND RISKS

NEW PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE USE IN EUROPE: PREVALENCE, PROBLEMS AND RISKS

Within the past decade, there has been a significant change in the area of drug use in Europe. Larger numbers of new psychoactive substances (NPS) have emerged on the market. The number of new drugs reported to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has increased from six new substances in the year 2004 (EMCDDA, 2005) to 101 new substances in 2014 (EMCDDA, 2015). With these substances come a unique set of risks and problems for the users, emergency personnel, and prevention and policy makers. The present presentation’s goal is to shed light on the extent of NPS consumption in Europe as well as the problems and the risks associated with these substances.

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  • Ludwig KRAUS IFT Institut für Therapieforschung, München, Deutschland; Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs (SoRAD), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Schweden Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs (SoRAD), Stockholm Universität, Stockholm, Schweden