2025-06-11 –, BS 3.14 - 60 cap.
Background:
Global drug markets are rapidly moving towards a more synthetic-based supply. In particular increased availability of novel synthetic opioids (SO) and other depressants in the opioid market pose serious public health concerns in many countries. The North America overdose epidemic of the last decade shows the magnitude of the public health challenge. Numerous countries in Europe report increasingly facing rising availabilities of various highly potent synthetic opioids.
Objective:
The necessity of increased alertness and preparations seems inevitable, but this raises the question: how exactly can European countries’ health and harm reduction services be prepared for upcoming rises in SO prevalence and incidents? Recent research in The Netherlands explores critical elements in the public health system and lists recommendations for increasing SO preparedness.
Methods:
The inventory is commissioned by the Dutch government and executed by the national center on mental health and addiction. It has combined literature study, 15 interviews with international drugs/public health experts and interviews and focus groups discussions with wide range of national stakeholders from social, health and security domains.
Results:
The inventory shows a clear picture of a rapidly changing drug dynamic in the many of countries in Europe and clear rises in availability and use of SO. Different trends are reported across Europe: varying from full-fledged synthetic opioid markets in the Baltic region, clusters of incidents among marginalizes populations (e.g. Ireland, UK and Germany) and slower but steady rises of use and incidents among young adults using tranquilizers for self
Current systems of monitoring, warning and intervention responses have been assessed in the Netherlands and several gaps are reported in the public health and harm reduction services and provides a range of detailed recommendations. This presentation will be highlight key results of the inventory research and will describing gabs and needs in the responses in the Netherlands.
Implications:
Despite the elaborate health and harm reduction services in the Netherlands several areas of public health responses are recommended to be addressed urgently. The findings of the research will be translated for a wider audiences of countries and professionals in other parts of the world that are also looking for effective preparedness and interventions to address SO.
John-Peter Kools, drug policy analyst, Trimbos Institute
John-Peter Kools is an international expert on substance use, drug policy and public health.
Kools has been involved in the drug field for 4 decades. He was involved in developing the first HIV prevention and health programs for people who use drugs in his hometown of Amsterdam. He works as a senior policy advisor at the Dutch Trimbos Institute where he leads the international drugs programmes. A significant part of his work is focused on transitional regions in Eastern Europe and in Asia and Africa. His expertise also covers the field of health programming in the criminal justice, law enforcement and the penal system.