On 15 July 2010, the EMCDDA extended Scientific Committee, with the participation of additional experts from the EU Member States, European Commission, Europol and the European Medicines Agency, undertook a formal risk assessment on the synthetic drug mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone).

This constituted the second phase in the three-step legal procedure established to monitor and respond to new psychoactive substances in Europe (information exchange/early-warning; risk assessment; decision-making).

The risk-assessment report is now submitted to the Commission and Council of the EU in the final stage of the process. On the basis of the report, the Council, upon an initiative of the Commission, may decide to subject mephedrone to control measures throughout the EU.