THIRD INTERNATIONAL MULTIDISCIPLINARY FORUM ON NEW DRUGS, 27–28 JUNE 2013, LISBON

Leading European and international specialists met in Lisbon from 27–28 June to examine the global new drugs phenomenon.

The Third international multidisciplinary forum on new drugs, was organised by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA), in cooperation withEuropol, and gathered   over 100 participants from some 40 countries.

The event was built on the results of the Second interdisciplinary forum on new and emerging psychoactive substances, co-hosted by the EMCDDA and NIDA in Palm Springs in June 2012, and the First international multidisciplinary forum on new drugs, organised by the EMCDDA in Lisbon in May 2011. These events focused on the growing global nature of the phenomenon and the importance of international cooperation in responding to the issue.

During opening speech of this forum, EMCDDA Director Wolfgang Götz said: ‘Only a few years ago, new drugs were generally regarded as being of limited significance to drug policy. The continued growth of the market, however — particularly driven by “legal highs” — has seen the issue develop into a complex policy challenge that is now of major international concern’.

He added as well: ‘This growth has been driven by entrepreneurs who have exploited gaps in drug regulation. It has also been fuelled by the increasingly globalised and interconnected world in which we live. We are now seeing an unprecedented growth in the number, type and availability of new drugs, the growing interplay between the new drugs and illicit drug markets and a greater involvement of organised crime’.

The EU Early warning system (EWS) for monitoring new psychoactive substances — operated by the EMCDDA and Europol and active since 1997 — ensures that Europe continues to be at the forefront of this rapidly changing field. Significant developments since the 2011 forum have seen the issue evolve into a complex challenge for scientists, law enforcers and policymakers.

Currently the EWS monitors over 300 new psychoactive substances. In 2012, 73 new substances were officially notified for the first time in the EU through the system, up from 49 in 2011, 41 in 2010 and 24 in 2009

The main goals for participants were to identify information gaps and research needs, to anticipate future developments and challenges and explore the role that can be played by law enforcement.  Moreover the forum focused on innovative methods and mechanisms to monitor new substances and emerging trends and on responses to the phenomenon.

A multidisciplinary approach is crucial to understanding and responding to the new drugs phenomenon, in order to protect public health, which is at the very heart of this issue. The participating experts represented a wide range of disciplines, from both academic and operational backgrounds, including: epidemiology, forensic science, healthcare, law-enforcement, criminology and policy. Also participating were staff from the European Commission, the European Medicines Agency and international bodies (UNODC, INCB).

The forum was organised in conjunction with the 13th annual meeting of the Reitox early warning system (EWS) network and the Europol second law-enforcement meeting on new psychoactive substances.