The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) reports the detection of 26 new psychoactive substances found in Europe for the first time in 2023.
Highly potent synthetic substances, novel drug combinations and shifting consumption patterns are increasingly posing a threat across Europe, it notes.
Drug availability remains high in Europe, where a wide range of products are offered, the agency added.
Drug users are now exposed to a broader range of psychoactive substances, often more potent or purer, and appearing in new forms, mixes, or combinations. As a result, by the end of 2023, the EMCDDA was monitoring over 950 new psychoactive substances, 26 of which had been detected in Europe for the first time last year.
The report highlights concerns about highly potent synthetic opioids, which are sometimes falsely sold as medication, or other drugs mixed with these substances. This mainly includes MDMA (Ecstacy) adulterated with synthetic cathinones and cannabis-based products laced with synthetic cannabinoids.
Consumers may not know what they are taking due to deceptive sales practices. This exposes them to severe health risks, including potential fatal poisoning, the EMCDDA warned.
One key takeaway from this year’s report is the prevalence in Europe today of polydrug use, the simultaneous or sequential consumption of two or more psychoactive substances.
Whether it is the use of benzodiazepines with opioids or cocaine with alcohol, this consumption pattern can heighten health risks and complicate interventions, particularly in the event of an overdose, the EMCDDA cautioned.
These difficulties are further complicated when people unknowingly consume drug mixes.
The new European Union Agency for Drugs (EUDA) is set to launch on 2 July. One of its priorities will be to better understand the trends of polydrug use and the effective interventions for prevention, treatment and harm reduction.
