1. Psychoactive Substances: Issues For Policy Makers Fay Watson, Secretary General, EURAD

2. Summary About Us Psychoactive Substances: Issues For Policy Makers An update on draft EU legislation on new psychoactive substances

3. About Us We are the only EU network advocating for prevention and rehabilitation focused drug policies

4. Psychoactive Substances: Issues For Policy Makers

5. The Use of Psychoactive Substances: Spikes In Trends Rather Than A Rising Tide?

6. The intertwined markets of NPS and illicit substances Production: NPS have been found to contain controlled substances (Brandt et al, 2010; Ramsey et al, 2010 & EMCDDA, 2011a) Distribution: Sold alongside controlled substances on online forums but mostly sold in friendship groups Consumption: Users of new psychoactive substances frequently have had experiences with other illicit drugs (Wood, 2012; Miller et al, 2009).

7. Evidence of adverse effects exists but few data systems to capture harm of new substances

8. National Responses To NPS Combined legislative approaches (i.e. Romania) Consumer legislation (i.e. Poland, Sweden) Regulated sales (i.e. New Zealand) Pharmaceutical legislation (i.e. Austria) Healthcare responses (i.e. WEDINOS, Wales)

9. Public Opinion- Comprehensive Ways To Tackle Drug Problems 49% think that prevention campaigns would be effective in reducing drug problems 37% think that rehabilitation would be effective in reducing drug problems 24% think that addressing social issues (i.e. poverty and unemployment) would be effective in reducing drug problems

10. Public Opinion- Legislative Ways To Tackle Psychoactive Substances

11. Whatever the approach, one of the most important elements is….

13. An update on draft EU legislation on new psychoactive substances Proposals announced 17 th September 2013 Proposal includes a reduction in the time taken to respond to NPS at the EU level Takes a consumer approach rather than a drug control approach

14. An update on draft EU legislation on new psychoactive substances Co-presented by:

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16. Contact Me Fay Watson Secretary General 17 Rue Archimede Brussels Belgium Fay.watson@eurad.net