The United States National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) bring together leading US, European and international experts this week to take stock of the global ‘new drugs’ phenomenon. In the framework of the 2012 NIDA International Forum, taking place in Palm Springs (CA) from 8–11 June (1), the organisations will co-host the Second interdisciplinary forum on new and emerging psychoactive substances gathering over 300 participants from 72 countries.

Building on the First international multidisciplinary forum on new drugs (2), organised by the EMCDDA in Lisbon in May 2011, this year’s forum will focus on new and emerging synthetic and natural drugs, such as synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (e.g. ‘Spice’) and stimulants (e.g. cathinones). EMCDDA Scientific Director Paul Griffiths, who will receive on 9 June the 2012 NIDA International Program Award for Excellence in International Leadership (3), will deliver a keynote speech on ‘New psychoactive substances — a growing challenge for drug policy and practice’. Other speakers include Volker Auwaerter of the University Medical Centre, Freiburg, who, in 2008, first identified the synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018 found in ‘Spice’ (4).