Home > EMCDDA broadens its scope.

Connolly, Johnny (2007) EMCDDA broadens its scope. Drugnet Ireland, Issue 21, spring 2007, p. 29.

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Since mid-January 2007 the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has taken on a more active role in monitoring new drug-use patterns and emerging trends throughout the 27 member states.

 

The European Parliament and the Council of the EU have adopted a new mission statement for the EMCDDA, replacing the one founding the agency in 1993. While reaffirming the EMCDDA’smain purpose as providing EU member states with ‘factual, objective, reliable and comparable information at European level concerning drugs and drug addiction and their consequences’, the new document broadens the scope of the EMCDDA’s tasks.

 

The EMCDDA is now allowed to collect, register and analyse information on ‘emerging trends in polydrug use’ — the simultaneous use of more than one drug — including the combined use of licit and illicit psychoactive substances.

 

Reference is also made in the new mission statement to providing information on best practice in the EU member states and facilitating exchange of such practice between them. This will include the sharing of experience in areas such as drug prevention, and reducing supply and drug-related harm.  The EMCDDA will also develop tools and instruments to help member states and the European Commission monitor and evaluate national and EU drug policies respectively.

 

Another key aspect of the new remit is closer co-operation with the law enforcement body, Europol, to attain maximum efficiency in monitoring the drugs problem. Among other things, the two bodies will continue to work together in monitoring new psychoactive substances appearing on the European illicit drug market.

 

The EMCDDA may also be called on to transfer its know-how to certain non-EU countries, such as official candidates for EU accession and countries in the Western Balkans. This is likely to entail creating and reinforcing links with the European Information Network on Drugs and Drug Addiction (Reitox) and assisting in the building and strengthening of national drug observatories (national focal points).

 

For further information, visit www.emcdda.europa.eu

Item Type
Article
Publication Type
International, Open Access, Article
Drug Type
Substances (not alcohol/tobacco)
Issue Title
Issue 21, spring 2007
Date
January 2007
Page Range
p. 29
Publisher
Health Research Board
Volume
Issue 21, spring 2007
EndNote
Accession Number
HRB (Available)

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