Europe’s drug monitoring agency updates mandate, rebrands as EUDA

4 months ago 19

The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) officially became the European Drugs Agency (EUDA) on Tuesday (2 July), expanding its advisory support for policymakers.

The agency will now anticipate future challenges, alert EU states in real time and help countries develop their response through evidence-based interventions.

“We were a monitoring agency, now we are a drug agency, one that is much more active,” EUDA Scientific Director Peter Griffiths told Euractiv in an interview. “We have our own resources to follow up on threats and have extended the early warning system for all drugs”.

The EUDA will continue to collect, analyse, and disseminate drug data, but will have a new mechanism, including a European Drug Alert System and a European Threat Assessment System, which will work together to alert and prepare states for when new high-risk drugs hit the market.

“Simply knowing what the emerging trends [in drugs] are elsewhere can be very important for us understanding what’s going on,” Griffiths explained.

“We have a huge cocaine problem in Europe, and some of the cartels involved also produce synthetic opioids which are quite prevalent in North America. These substances, such as Nitazenes and Xylazines, can easily be shipped to Europe because of their size and concentration.”

A European Network of Forensic and Toxicological Laboratories will foster information exchange on new trends and train national toxicologists and forensic drug experts.

The network of laboratories aims to train researchers and develop competency around new trends by using foresight studies so they can efficiently respond to the identification of new substances and a dynamic global drug market.

“We can now back up our early monitoring work with forensic and toxicological analysis, which is critically important in relation to synthetic drugs,” Griffiths said.

The rise of poly-substance use is of particular concern. Europe’s production and rising use of stimulants and synthetic drugs pose challenges for institutions. The EUDA is well placed to improve understanding and assist in preparing states.

“It’s not our job to tell members what to do, it is to be an advisory role. We want to provide policymakers little rocks of certainty with better evidence and understanding.” Griffiths emphasized.

The EU’s Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson will attend Wednesday’s official EUDA launch in Lisbon.

[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]