Nuevas sustancias psicoactivas: prácticas y retos en materia de salud para responder al uso y los daños en Europa

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Nuevas sustancias psicoactivas: prácticas y retos en materia de salud para responder al uso y los daños en Europa

30 marzo 2017
European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

El Observatorio Europeo de las Drogas y las Toxicomanías (OEDT) repasa las respuestas de salud que se están dando a las nuevas sustancias psicoactivas, y destaca los problemas principales con el fin de aportar elementos que ayuden a mejorar la planificación y la ejecución de respuestas adecuadas. Más información, en inglés, está disponible abajo.

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The availability of new psychoactive substances (NPS) in Europe has rapidly increased over the last decade. Although prevalence levels of NPS use remain low in the general European population, there are serious concerns associated with more problematic forms of use and harms in particular populations and settings. It has thus become a priority to formulate and implement effective public health responses. However, considerable knowledge gaps remain on current practices as well as on the challenges and needs of European health professionals who are responding to use and harms caused by these substances. The aim of this study was to explore current health responses to NPS, and highlight key issues in order to inform planning and implementation of adequate responses.

Findings revealed that in the absence of specific evidence, health professionals across most intervention settings rely primarily on acquired expertise with traditional drugs when addressing NPS-related harms. This study also identified a gap in the availability and access to timely and reliable information on NPS to users and health professionals. Health professionals in sexual health settings and custodial settings in contact with certain risk groups reported particular challenges in responding to NPS-related harms.

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