EU report: Addiction is a global issue

Addiction is a global issue that costs many millions of lives each year and causes untold suffering, according to a new report released Wednesday by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) to mark International day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking. The report looks at how far the science of addiction has come and how this knowledge can be used to help tackle the problem. It underlines that Illicit drug use, excessive alcohol consumption, tobacco use and problem gambling create serious harm both to those individuals who engage in such practices and to society as a whole. The report provides a critical review of existing addiction theories and explores how these can be organised to inform how to assess, prevent and treat addictive behaviours. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) was established in 1993 to provide the European Union (EU) and its Member States with up-to-date information on European drug problems and a solid evidence base on which to develop policies to combat these. Meanwhile, leading European and international specialists will meet in Lisbon, Portugal, from 27-28 June to take stock of the global new drugs phenomenon. The Third international forum on new drugs, organised by EMCDDA, in cooperation with Europol, will gather over 100 participants from some 40 countries.