Risk Reduction Strategies for New Drugs in Spain

Risk Reduction on New Drugs,
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Risk Reduction on New Drugs, a Spanish experience

a Spanish Experience

Iván Fornís Espinosa

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Energy Control-ABD. Iván Fornís Espinosa.
analisis@energycontrol.org | info@energycontrol.org | www.energycontrol.org | www.abd-ong.org • 1

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1. The evolution of the use of new synthetic drugs in

Spain. Information collected by Energy Control through its
Drug Checking service and the online counseling service
adressed to drug users.

2. Our proposal to provide objective information to the
users of these drugs in order to conduct low-risk
consumptions.

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What is ?
1. Risk reduction project in Spain.
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2. Peer to peer actions.

3. Responsible drug use.
4. Resources:
Development and dissemination of information

Drug Checking service aimed at drug users.

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In recent years we have observed in
our project three phenomena:
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1. An increment in the number of
samples of new drugs provided by
the users.

2. An increment of types of new
drugs, also called research
chemicals or legal highs.

3. An increment in the number of
requests for information about
new drugs.

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Increment in the number of samples
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45%

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%
Speed

Speed

Speed

Speed

Speed

Speed
Ketamine

Ketamine

Ketamine

Ketamine

Ketamine

Ketamine
Cocaine

Cocaine

Cocaine

Cocaine

Cocaine

Cocaine
RC's

RC's

RC's

RC's

RC's

RC's
MDMA crystal

MDMA crystal

MDMA crystal

MDMA crystal

MDMA crystal

MDMA crystal
MDMA Pills

MDMA Pills

MDMA Pills

MDMA Pills

MDMA Pills

MDMA Pills
2006 (n=392) 2007 (n=509) 2008 (n= 1082) 2009 (n= 1622) 2010 (n=1680) 2011 (n=2115)

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Increment of types of new drugs
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80

70 68

60

50

40 39

32
30

20 19

10
5 4

0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

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Increment in the number of requests for information
about new drugs.
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50
47

45

40

35

30

25
22
21
20

15

10

5
2

0
2008 2009 2010 2011

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Peculiarities of our country on New Drugs
1. In Spain there hasn´t been a
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big expansion of the use of new

drugs.

2. Little presence of the smart-
shop phenomenon (or head-
shop). The most important
distribution channel has been
on the Internet and grow-shops.

3. Adaptation of the comercial
product names to spanish topics
such as
Mazazo, Fuego, Cocopollo, etc.

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Peculiarities of our country on New Drugs
4. we began to observe the presence of new drugs as
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adulterants of illicit drugs

Sold as composition Samples
Ecstasy pill 2C-B 53
Ecstasy pill 2C-I 4
Ecstasy (crystal) Methylone 12
Ecstasy (pill, crystal) Mephedrone 11
Cocaína Mephedrone 2
Methamphetamine Mephedrone 2
Ketamine Mephedrone 4
Ketamine Methoxetamine 6

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Our approach
1. Development and dissemination of update and objective
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information about risk reduction on new drugs:

Scientific articles
Trip reports and personal communication

Give information in recreational places

Give information in our drug checking services

Give information through web, forums and social networks

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Our approach
2. Direct communication to general drug users about the
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emergence of new drugs as adulterants of other drugs to

inform them (ex. PMMA in legal highs).

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Our approach
3. Notice the proper agencies of the findings, especially
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the

- EMCDDA

- Ministry of Health

- regional councils

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Our approach
4. Updating the analysis
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service to expand its capacity

to detect new substances in
timeframes as short as
possible.

5. Training project staff to have
updated knowledge as possible
of the phenomenon.

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Conclusions (1)
Energy Control has only had access to samples provided
voluntarily by consumers; this has allowed us to observe
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particularly the phenomenon of adulteration of other drugs

with these new compounds.

Studies of new drugs, which keep track of the products
sold in stores or online head-shops, have failed to detect
this phenomenon.

This could add risk to consumers because these people do
not take precautions to consume.

Thus, having information of samples submitted by users
becomes a source of invaluable information
complementary to information obtained by other means
(for example, direct purchases or police seizures).
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Conclusions (2)
In this sense, having services such as drug checking
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service, a web-site for drug users or be present in
recreational contexts allows us direct contact with
consumers and work specifically with these aspects as the
information on these new drugs and taking care strategies
and the associated demystify certain beliefs such as
greater security in front of these illegal drugs.

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Conclusions (3)
The phenomenon of new drugs is extremely dynamic and
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is able to rapidly introduce new substances on the market.

This causes, at times, when we are able to prepare and
distribute updated information about these new
drugs, these leaving the market and appear new ones.

This is produced by the application of prohibitive legislation
on new drugs as the only way to address the problem.

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Thank you
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PMMA (paramethoxymethamphetamine) in “legal Highs” in Spain.

Iván Fornís Espinosa
(Energy Control – ABD)

analisis@energycontrol.org
info@enrgycontrol.org

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Risk Reduction Strategies for New Drugs in Spain

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