30 Nov 2018
Key findings from the 2018 Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) and Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS) jurisdictional interviews are available online now (NDARC)
Bibliography: Production and Supply
High and low politics in Afghanistan: The terrorism-drugs nexus and what can be done about it
Given deteriorating security, economic, and political conditions in Afghanistan, there is no realistic prospect for radically reducing the Afghan opium poppy economy and the Afghanistan’s economy dependence on it for years (Brookings)
The Responsible Control of Drugs
Examines in detail how governments can take control of currently illegal drug markets through responsible regulation, thereby weakening criminal organizations that now profit from them (Global Commission on Drug Policy)
Regulation – The Responsible Control of Drugs
The report identifies key questions that, in the Commission’s experience, have become particular stumbling blocks in the progress of the public dialogue on regulation (Global Commission on Drug Policy)
A model drug law for west Africa
Some governments are willing to consider reform and the WACD wants to further support this ongoing work with the Model Drug Law, which provides concrete templates that countries can adapt to reform their drug laws: legal provisions and how they relate to international legal obligations as well as useful commentary that explains different options and reasons for choosing the proposed legal solution ( Global Commission on Drug Policy)
Europe’s legal cannabis market set to become worth more than €115 billion
A new report “European Cannabis Report” from industry advisors, Prohibition Partners, suggests that Europe will become the largest legal cannabis market in the world once all countries have introduced legislation and regulation during the next 10 years (Manufacturing Chemist)
World Drug Report 2018
Opioid crisis, prescription drug abuse expands; cocaine and opium hit record highs Index (UNODC)
Crypto-Market Enforcement – New Strategy and Tactics
Law enforcement has gained deeper knowledge of the cryptomarket environment (GDPO)
Afghan Narcotics: 2000-2018
From Control and Elimination Efforts to a Drug Economy and Bombings Labs (CSIS)
Precursor chemical licensing
Licence and registration application information for companies that deal in precursor chemicals (Home Office)
Methamphetamine contamination in residential properties: Exposures, risk levels, and interpretation of standards
There is currently no evidence that methamphetamine levels typically resulting from third-hand exposure to smoking residues on household surfaces can elicit an adverse health effect (Chief Science Advisor, New Zealand)
EMCDDA releases its first analysis on monitoring drug-related homicide in Europe
An EMCDDA paper providing an overview of the information available on drug-related homicide (DRH) in Europe
Afghanistan opium survey 2017 (PDF)
Challenges to sustainable development, peace and security (UNODC)
Fentanyl: preparing for a future threat
Incident planning for potent opioids arriving into the illicit drug market (Public Health England)
Darknet markets ecosystem – Lifetimes and reasons for closure of over 100 global darknet markets offering drugs, sorted by date
It is estimated that around two thirds of the offers on darknet markets are drug-related. Drug sales on these markets, although modest when compared to the overall retail drug market, are significant and appear to be expanding (EMCDDA)
Supply-Side Drug Policy in the Presence of Substitutes
Evidence from the Introduction of Abuse-Deterrent Opioids (NBER)
How illegal drugs sustain organised crime in the EU (PDF)
Drug markets remain the largest criminal markets in the EU. More than one third of the criminal groups active in the EU are involved in the production, trafficking or distribution of various types of drugs (Europol, Belgium)
Developing drug supply monitoring in Europe: current concepts
This paper presents the EMCDDA’s current thinking on the conceptual framework for monitoring drug markets, crime and supply reduction — building on the work completed in this area and expanding to reflect the academic research underpinning this work and the developments observed
Drugs and the darknet: perspectives for enforcement, research and policy
A joint publication by the EMCDDA and Europol, presents the latest understanding of how darknet markets function, the threats they pose to health and security and how Europe can respond
Global Synthetic Drugs Assessment (PDF)
Amphetamine-type stimulants and new psychoactive substances (UNODC)
Drug-related intimidation – The Irish situation and international responses: an evidence review (PDF)
This report presents the findings of an evidence review on drug-related intimidation (DRI) requested by the Department of Health on behalf of the Local and Regional Drugs and Alcohol Task Forces (HRB)
The drugs situation in Ireland: an overview of trends from 2005 to 2015 (PDF)
This overview analyses ten years of data up to the most recent available with respect to the five European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) key indicators (prevalence of drug use, high risk drug use, treatment demand, drug-related deaths and mortality and drug-related infectious diseases) as well as drug-related crime and supply (Centre for Public Health at Liverpool John Moores University)
EMCDDA–Europol Joint Report on a new psychoactive substance: N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)piperidin-4-yl]-furan-2-carboxamide (furanylfentanyl)
The two organisations launched a data collection on this substance for the preparation of a Joint Report as stipulated by Article 5.1 of the Council Decision. The Joint Report was submitted to the Council, the Commission and the European Medicines Agency on 23 January 2017. Download
Public expenditure on supply reduction policies
This report takes a first step towards a systematic analysis, by examining a set of representative attempts to estimate public expenditure on supply reduction interventions (EMCDDA)
Public expenditure on supply reduction policies
Evaluating drug policy is an integral part of a cost-efficient approach to tackle illicit drugs. This report takes a first step towards a systematic analysis, by examining a set of representative attempts to estimate public expenditure on supply reduction interventions (Health Research Board, Ireland)
Changes in Europe’s cannabis resin market
This analysis describes how the supply of cannabis resin in Europe is changing in response to competition and other market developments (EMCDDA)
County Lines, Gangs, and Safeguarding
The Gang and Youth Violence team within the Home Office identified a growing body of intelligence, emerging in particular from London and the South East, that vulnerable young people are being exploited in order to facilitate the running of street level drug dealing within county lines (National Crime Agency)
Commission proposes a new EU Action Plan on Drugs to enhance action against drug use and trafficking
Building on the findings of the evaluation of the EU Drugs Strategy for 2013-2020 and the Action Plan for 2013-2016, the new Action Plan on Drugs provides a strengthened response to the newly-emerging health and security challenges in the area of illicit drug use and trafficking
How Big is the U.S. Market for Illegal Drugs?
Knowing the size of illegal drug markets allows us to estimate revenues going to criminal organizations, make better decisions about treatment and prevention, and evaluate drug policies (RAND)
Afghanistan Synthetic Drugs Situation Assessment (PDF)
The main objective of this report is to offer some initial insights into the extent of synthetic drug production, use, and trafficking in Afghanistan and to highlight important areas for further research (UNODC)
Highways and buyways (PDF)
A snapshot of UK drug scenes 2016 (DrugWise)
Drug supply reduction: an overview of EU policies and measures
This paper provides an overview of EU policies and responses to the production and trafficking of illicit drugs within the international context (EMCDDA)
Marketing
Alcohol is one of the most significant ‘fast moving consumer goods’ (FMCGs) marketed today. It is estimated that each year more than £800 million is spent on advertising alcoholic beverages in the UK, with the global estimate approximating $1 trillion (Institute of Alcohol Studies)
The Economics of Tobacco and Tobacco Control
This monograph, a collaboration between the National Cancer Institute and WHO, examines the current research and evidence base surrounding the economics of tobacco control—including tobacco use, tobacco growing, manufacturing and trade, tobacco product taxes and prices, and tobacco control policies and other interventions to reduce tobacco use and its consequences (WHO)
DrugScope library archive
Wellcome Institute
Diversion & illicit supply of medicines
The ACMD’s report on diversion and illicit supply of medicines (DISM) is in response to the Home Office’s commissioning letter of September 2013, in which the then Home Secretary requested the ACMD to explore the potential for medical and social harms arising from the illicit supply of medicines – predominantly controlled medicines (ACMD)
The public health burden of alcohol: evidence review
This review looks at the impact of alcohol on the public health and the effectiveness of alcohol control policies (Public Health England)
Afghanistan Opium Survey 2016 (PDF)
This Executive Summary presents the key findings of the Afghanistan Opium Survey 2016. The full report on cultivation and production will be published in November 2016 and a separate report presenting the results of the socio-economic survey will be published early 2017 (UNODC)
Colombia: Drugs and the Peace Agreement
On August 24th, after more than four years of negotiations, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) signed a peace agreement that will, pending a referendum on October 2nd, bring to an end more than sixty years of armed conflict (Global Drug Policy Observatory)
Internet-facilitated drugs trade
An analysis of the size, scope and the role of the Netherlands (RAND)
