#Emcdda

[scienza-magia]

Fumare marijuana in età avanzata favorisce l'infarto

La cannabis fa male al cuore, oltre al portafoglio, degli over 65. Due nuovi studi mostrano un maggior rischio di attacchi di cuore e problemi cardiaci negli uomini over 65. La cannabis non fa bene al cuore, soprattutto degli over 65. Gli adulti che, pur non fumando tabacco, consumano marijuana corrono un maggior rischio di attacchi di cuore e infarto, mentre chi usa quotidianamente la cannabis ha il 34% in più di probabilità di andare incontro a uno scompenso cardiaco. A dirlo sono due nuovi studi, presentati dall’American Heart Association (AHA) riunita nella sessione scientifica a Filadelfia, negli Stati Uniti. Attenzione al cuore L’AHA, dunque, mette in guardia dagli effetti collaterali del fumo, ma non si limita a quello tradizionale: il monito degli esperti cardiologi americani riguarda anche lo svapo e soprattutto la marijuana, ritenendola una fonte di pericolo, sia per uso ricreazionale che medico: «Le più recenti ricerche sull’uso di cannabis indicano che fumare o inalare questa sostanza aumenta la concentrazione nel sangue di carbossiemoglobina (monossido di carbonio) e catrame (frutto della combustione) almeno quanto il tabacco. Entrambe le sostanze sono state associate a malattie del muscolo cardiaco, dolori al petto, disturbi nella frequenza cardiaca, infarti e altre condizioni analoghe», ha spiegato alla CNN Robert Page, professore presso il Dipartimento di farmacia clinica, medicina fisica e della riabilitazione alla University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. «I risultati non dovrebbero stupire e anzi vanno presi in seria considerazione, soprattutto ora che si studiano maggiormente gli effetti della cannabis, anche grazie al fatto che c’è una maggiore legalizzazione nei consumi, specie in molti stati degli Usa. Va anche considerato che la sostanza che oggi si trova in commercio non è più quella di 10 anni fa, è molto più potente.  Un report appena pubblicato dall’EMCDDA (l’Osservatorio europeo per le droghe e le dipendenze) ed Europol indica che la potenza media dell’erba è cresciuta del 57% tra il 2011 e il 2012 e quella della resina di cannabis addirittura di poco meno del 200%», spiega Riccardo Gatti, psichiatra e già direttore del Dipartimento Dipendenze presso la Asl di Milano. Boom di cannabis negli over 65 L’appello dei cardiologi americani, infatti, arriva di fronte a un vero boom nel consumo di marijuana, soprattutto tra gli over 65. Secondo uno studio condotto nel 2020 in America, tra il 2015 e il 2018 si è assistito a un raddoppio nel fumo di cannabis negli over 65. Da un altro lavoro del 2023, invece, emerge un incremento del 450% di binge drinking (il consumo di alcolici in modo compulsivo) e marijuana nel periodo tra il 2015 e il 2019, sempre negli ultra 65. A preoccupare è anche l’effetto dipendenza che ne deriva: in circa 3 persone su 10 si verifica il cosiddetto “cannabis use disorder”. «È interessante il campione di over 65: le preoccupazioni, infatti, finora si erano concentrate sui giovanissimi e sui danni psichici. Nella popolazione più adulta, invece, emergono effetti collaterali legati a fragilità diverse, come quelle cardiovascolari», aggiunge Gatti. La dipendenza da marijuana, spesso sottovalutata Secondo l’istituto nazionale per gli abusi statunitense, gli effetti collaterali della dipendenza da marijuana possono andare dalla fame compulsiva alla mancanza di appetito, irritabilità, irrequietezza, difficoltà a prendere sonno o disturbi dell’umore. Ma i problemi possono aumentare in caso di ultra 65enni, come emerge dall’analisi delle cartelle cliniche di chi viene ricoverato per altri motivi ed è un fumatore di marijuana. I ricercatori hanno condotto una serie di analisi su un campione di pazienti ricoverati per problemi come alta pressione, diabete di tipo 2 o colesterolo alto, tipici dell’avanzare dell’età. Cosa può provocare la cannabis negli over 65 Si è scoperto che su 8.535 adulti che avevano fumato erba, il rischio di attacchi di cuore o problemi cerebrali era maggiore del 20% rispetto agli oltre 10 milioni di pazienti che non avevano mai usato marijuana. Il consumo di erba, infatti, aumenterebbe sensibilmente la pressione del sangue, che è uno dei maggiori fattori di rischio per le malattie cardiache. Un secondo studio, condotto su 160mila persone di età media di 54 anni, ha invece mostrato un maggior rischio (+34%) di scompenso cardiaco nei fumatori di marijuana, mentre a inizio 2023 un ultimo lavoro, realizzato a Baltimora (Maryland), ha indicato una maggiore probabilità (33% circa) di problemi coronarici rispetto a chi non ha mai fumato cannabis. Attenzione anche in Italia In Italia la cannabis non è legalizzata, ma è comunque considerata una “droga leggera”: «È un mantra che si ripete da sempre, ma che non ha alcuna base scientifica che lo avvalli.  Anche se non si muore per overdose, rimane una sostanza stupefacente, non innocua e ora gli studi mostrano come nelle persone avanti con l’età possa provocare danni anche gravi», spiega ancora Gatti, che coordina il Tavolo tecnico sulle Dipendenze della Regione Lombardia. L’esperto, infine, non trascura un ultimo aspetto: «Oltre agli effetti del monossido di carbonio sprigionato dalla combustione, che di per sé può incidere sulla pressione arteriosa, negli over 65 la cannabis si può sommare all’assunzione di farmaci legati ad altre patologie tipiche dell’età, come colesterolo, diabete o la stessa alta pressione sanguigna. Il risultato finale può portare a un ulteriore aumento dei rischi», conclude Gatti. Read the full article

[fabriziosbardella]

È stato recentemente reso disponibile, sul sito del Ministero della Salute, il Rapporto tossicodipendenze, dove si riportano dati di utilizzatori di sostanze illegali #ADUC #SIND #EMCCD #ministerodellasalute #osservatorioeuropeo #rapportotossicodipendenze #serD #serT

[mariacallous]

The synthetic opioid fentanyl was first synthesized in Belgium around 1960. With effects similar to those of morphine but a potency 100 times higher, it became widely used in surgeries and the treatment of chronic painful diseases. Meanwhile in the United States, unregulated and unprescribed fentanyl became a highly addictive and dangerous illegal drug—one that is 50 times stronger than heroin, with even a 2 milligram dose proving to be lethal to most people. But drug policy experts and government officials agree that there has not been a fentanyl crisis in Europe, its place of origin—at least, not until now.

In 2022, more than 70,000 people died in the U.S. of synthetic drug overdose, according to estimates made by the country’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By contrast, in Europe, the latest data from the European Union’s drug monitoring agency shows that 137 people died of drugs of fentanyl’s ilk in 2021, with most of those deaths coming from diverted fentanyl medicines rather than illicitly manufactured substances. Last year, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency reported that it seized more than 79.5 million fentanyl-laced fake pills and nearly 12,000 pounds of fentanyl powder. Such confiscations in Europe, although rising recently, have been sporadic.

But European governments are increasingly fretting that fentanyl and similar synthetic opioids may grip the continent and plunge it into a U.S.-style crisis. Late last year, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his European counterparts that they either have an undiscovered problem with fentanyl or may have one soon. And scattered signs that the lethal drugs may be starting to spread into the continent are now prompting governments to act.

There are several reasons for the rising fears about fentanyl in Europe. The European Union estimates that most of the roughly 1 million European consumers of illicit opioids use heroin. So far, almost all of that supply has come from Afghanistan. But beginning in April 2022, the Taliban banned “poppy cultivation and all types of narcotics,” and as a result, the area where poppy flowers—from which opium is produced—are grown in the country shrank by 95 percent last year, according to a November 2023 report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. This has drastically reduced the supply of quality heroin coming out of last year’s harvest.

Facing the shortage, criminal groups are expected to either start supplying heroin mixed with other synthetic opioids such as fentanyl to increase its strength, or to replace it altogether with fentanyl.

“The experience in North America with fentanyl overtaking heroin in major drug markets is illustrative of how a cheaper and readily available synthetic opioid can easily displace heroin,” wrote researchers in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report.

European authorities are already seeing signs that organized crime groups are eyeing the trade of these opioids in Europe. The Italian secret services found that the powerful Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta mafia, which has been flooding Europe with cocaine over the past decades, is testing the fentanyl market in the continent, senior Italian government official Alfredo Mantovano said in March.

Another major concern is that Europe has an existing lab capacity to produce synthetic drugs on its soil. Europol, the European Union’s police agency, said this month that synthetic drug production and trafficking has expanded from mainly Belgium and the Netherlands to Eastern Europe, including Ukraine. In 2021, European authorities dismantled 434 laboratories producing illicit synthetic drugs, according to the latest data published by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). Officials conclude that if criminals wanted to produce fentanyl in Europe, they would have the capacity to do it—and, consequently, to trigger a crisis very quickly.

“To be frank, I don’t see how we can avoid it in Europe. I don’t see why criminal networks would avoid selling fentanyl in Europe. The question for me is not if it’s going to touch Europe; it’s when and how big the wave or the hurricane will be. European governments are fully aware of it,” said Pierre Lapaque, a board member of the International Narcotics Control Board, in an interview with Foreign Policy.

The European effort to prevent a potential outbreak of addiction to these drugs has happened on two levels. On the one hand, the continent is reinforcing and adapting its fight against producers and traffickers, including precursors (the substances used as ingredients in drugs). On the other, it is preparing on the health care front to prevent overdose deaths.

One key measure has been the creation of a new drug agency for the bloc, turning the EMCDDA into a full-fledged agency called the European Union Drugs Agency. This new EU-wide body, which becomes operational in July, will carry out health and security assessments on synthetic drugs, closely monitoring any developments across the bloc and helping with the adoption of countermeasures. The new agency will also monitor drug precursors and set up a network of laboratories to identify new substances and define possible trends in the synthetic drug market.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, also plans to speed up and broaden the way that drug precursors are scheduled in order to prevent criminal networks from finding new ways to get the chemical substances needed to produce illicit drugs. It is also seeking to improve checks at European ports. To this end, it has earmarked more than 200 million euros (about $214 million) to fund modern kits for scanning containers for hidden drugs or precursors.

“We are seeing what is happening in the U.S., and we are monitoring any development in the EU to make sure we can anticipate and disrupt any production or trafficking activities of these drugs,” said Claire Georges, Europol’s deputy spokeswoman. The EU police agency is working with the United States to get a better intelligence picture of which criminal groups may be involved.

“Those are the right responses,” said Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. “This is in striking contrast with what, until several months ago, was the attitude of many European drug policy experts, who would often say ‘Look, we are not going to have a fentanyl problem because we didn’t have the same initiation through pharmaceutical opioids.’ I was always very uncomfortable with that answer.”

The EU is also seeking to boost cooperation with China, a major producer of fentanyl and its precursors. Chinese representatives held talks in Brussels on April 23 on illegal drug production as well as the diversion and trafficking of precursors and other chemical substances needed to manufacture synthetic drugs.

Collaboration with China is crucial for both the United States and Europe. A 64-page report issued in mid-April by the U.S. House of Representatives’ select committee on China defined the country as “the ultimate geographic source of the fentanyl crisis.” The committee has further argued that China encourages the manufacturing and export of illicit fentanyl chemicals and other narcotics through tax rebates and holds ownership interest in local companies tied to drug trafficking. Additionally, its security services have failed to cooperate with the United States when law enforcement officials requested assistance, according to the report.

European countries are also taking measures at the national level. For instance, Italy has started to monitor the import and export flows of medicines containing fentanyl and the chemical precursors of synthetic drugs, as well as the retail market—including on the web—as part of a national plan against the deadly drug that Rome unveiled last month. At the same time, it plans to equip police officers with portable mass spectrometers to spot synthetic drugs and precursors, both during custom checks and while patrolling the streets.

The Italian Ministry of Health has instructed hospitals and pharmacies to strengthen the protection measures against the theft of fentanyl and similar opioids. It also instructed doctors assisting patients displaying a range of specific symptoms—such as respiratory depression, nausea, vomiting, and vertigo—to consider that they could be intoxicated by fentanyl and could be treated with naloxone, which is an opioid antagonist, or other medicines that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose. Naloxone will also be provided to the police, who may need it as first responders facing an overdose or after inadvertently inhaling fentanyl during investigations. All ambulances will also be required to carry the medication.

In Spain, where there have been a few instances of drug dealers found with small amounts of fentanyl, some regional authorities are training drug users and emergency personnel on overdose reversal. The national government is also working to speed up the existing warning system on drugs by expanding free drug-checking programs across the country and the testing of wastewater to detect anomalies related to opioids, Joan Villabí, the official in charge of drugs and addiction at the Spanish Health Ministry, told Foreign Policy.

“We are monitoring in a very systematic way. When heroin hit Spain in the late 1970s, we were completely unprepared. It was a disaster,” Villabí said.

Universal medical care may have also protected Europe from a U.S.-style fentanyl crisis. In the United States, many people addicted to fentanyl began with prescription opioids, got hooked, and then when their prescriptions ran out, turned to the illegal market, where criminal rings provided them with the drug.

In the European Union, however, regulated and publicly funded health care systems have maintained a more limited access to prescription opioids, says Esther Gramage, a lecturer at the CEU San Pablo University in Madrid. The access to other procedures to alleviate pain also may have helped keep European patients away from painkillers. But there are growing reasons to fear that public health care won’t be sufficient to shield Europe.

[beardedmrbean]

1. 'Accidental' and expat Americans join forces to combat unfair US tax law

An initiative has been launched to fight against the American extraterritorial law, Citizenship Based Taxation (CBT). This sees people who find themselves with US citizenship against their choosing having to pay tax twice and declare all their income. Read more.

2. Antwerp again named Europe's cocaine capital after wastewater analysis

Drug use is rising across Europe and Belgium is once again reporting the highest figures, an annual analysis of wastewater from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) shows. Read more.

3. Bomb explosion damages six houses in Antwerp

An explosion damaged several houses on Kortrijkstraat in the Antwerp district of Borgerhout in the early hours of Thursday morning, Antwerp police report. Read more.

4. Future teachers will need to prove French proficiency in Wallonia and Brussels

A proficient level in the French language will become an obligation for all aspiring teachers in Wallonia and Brussels, regardless of their discipline, with a new requirement test set to come into force for teachers at the start of the next school year in October. Read more.

5. 'Moderately positive': Agreement reached on improving working conditions on Belgian railways

After several weeks of negotiations between rail companies and trade unions, an agreement has been reached between SNCB and trade unions for 2023-2024 which aims to improve working conditions for railway workers. Read more.

6. Teacher harassed 200 students for sexually explicit photos

A professor at a college in Comines is facing grooming charges and will appear in court on Thursday for the first day of the trial. The teacher had made a fake Facebook profile to trap teenagers, most ages 14 to 17, into sending sexual photos. Read more.

7. Birthday, anniversary or promotion? Best Brussels restaurants for special occasions

From tiny, quaint eateries to established, Michelin-star restaurants, Brussels has an array of restaurants to suit everyone's taste and budget. Read more.

[snehagoogle]

The effect of the medicine

The effect of the medicine is dependent on the prescriber only, from the manufacturer to the consumer, whom we know as a chemist. Why is the use of the medicine not prescribed without a chemist?

Why should not medicine be taken without consulting a doctor?

Thus, a medicine may be toxic for some receptor sites. Further, in most cases, medicines cause harmful effects when taken in higher doses than recommended. As a result, medicines may be poisonous in such cases. Hence, medicines should not be taken without consulting doctors.

No person other than a Registered Pharmacist can ...

Pharmacy Council of India

https://www.pci.nic.in › pdf › 3.pdf

PDF

18 Aug 2017 — The dispensation of medicine can only be done by a qualified pharmacist and a medical practitioner for his own patients or with the general or.

Non-medical use of medicines: health and social responses

EMCDDA

https://www.euda.europa.eu › publications › mini-guides

20 Oct 2021

This miniguide is one of a larger set, which together comprise Health and social responses to drug problems: a European guide. It provides an overview of the most important aspects to consider when planning or delivering health and social responses to problems related to the non-medical use of medicines, and reviews the availability and effectiveness of the responses. It also considers implications for policy and practice.

Last update: 20 October 2021.

There is a growing recognition of the important public health consequences that can arise as a result of the non-medical use of medicines and medicinal products. Problems associated with the non-medical use of medicines include both acute health harms and chronic problems, such as dependence.

The groups of medications that have most commonly been associated with concerns about their non-medical use in the EU include:

sedatives and hypnotics, including barbiturates, benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine-like drugs such as the ‘Z-drugs’;

opioids, including pain relief medications and opioid agonist treatment medications;

stimulants prescribed to treat attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); and

over-the-counter drugs, including some cough syrups and antihistamines.

The diversion and non-medical use of opioid agonists is of particular concern in Europe. In addition to mortality, related consequences include complications associated with the injection of the medication, a negative impact on treatment outcomes, and threats to the reputation of treatment services.

Translate Hindi

दवा का असर दवाई बनाने वाले से लेकर दवाई ग्राहक तक निर्भरता सिर्फ प्रेसक्राईवार के ऊपर ही रहता है

जिने हम केमिस्ट के रूप में जानते है

दवा प्रयोग बिन केमिस्ट प्रेसक्राईव क्यों नहीं होता है

डॉक्टर से सलाह लिए बिना दवा क्यों नहीं लेनी चाहिए?

इस प्रकार, कुछ रिसेप्टर साइटों के लिए दवा विषाक्त हो सकती है। इसके अलावा, ज़्यादातर मामलों में, अनुशंसित से ज़्यादा खुराक में लेने पर दवाएँ हानिकारक प्रभाव पैदा करती हैं। नतीजतन, ऐसे मामलों में दवाएँ जहरीली हो सकती हैं। इसलिए, डॉक्टर से सलाह लिए बिना दवाएँ नहीं लेनी चाहिए।

पंजीकृत फार्मासिस्ट के अलावा कोई भी व्यक्ति ...

फार्मेसी काउंसिल ऑफ इंडिया

https://www.pci.nic.in › pdf › 3.pdf

PDF

18 अगस्त 2017 — दवा का वितरण केवल एक योग्य फार्मासिस्ट और एक मेडिकल प्रैक्टिशनर द्वारा अपने रोगियों के लिए या सामान्य या के साथ किया जा सकता है।

दवाओं का गैर-चिकित्सा उपयोग: स्वास्थ्य और सामाजिक प्रतिक्रियाएँ

EMCDDA

https://www.euda.europa.eu › प्रकाशन › मिनी-गाइड

20 अक्टूबर 2021

यह मिनीगाइड एक बड़े सेट में से एक है, जिसमें एक साथ दवा की समस्याओं के लिए स्वास्थ्य और सामाजिक प्रतिक्रियाएँ शामिल हैं: एक यूरोपीय गाइड। यह दवाओं के गैर-चिकित्सीय उपयोग से संबंधित समस्याओं के लिए स्वास्थ्य और सामाजिक प्रतिक्रियाओं की योजना बनाते या वितरित करते समय विचार करने के लिए सबसे महत्वपूर्ण पहलुओं का अवलोकन प्रदान करता है, और प्रतिक्रियाओं की उपलब्धता और प्रभावशीलता की समीक्षा करता है। यह नीति और व्यवहार के लिए निहितार्थों पर भी विचार करता है।

अंतिम अपडेट: 20 अक्टूबर 2021।

दवाओं और औषधीय उत्पादों के गैर-चिकित्सीय उपयोग के परिणामस्वरूप उत्पन्न होने वाले महत्वपूर्ण सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य परिणामों की मान्यता बढ़ रही है। दवाओं के गैर-चिकित्सीय उपयोग से जुड़ी समस्याओं में तीव्र स्वास्थ्य हानि और पुरानी समस्याएं, जैसे निर्भरता, दोनों शामिल हैं।

यूरोपीय संघ में उनके गैर-चिकित्सीय उपयोग के बारे में चिंताओं से जुड़ी दवाओं के समूहों में शामिल हैं:

शामक और कृत्रिम निद्रावस्था, जिसमें बार्बिटुरेट्स, बेंजोडायजेपाइन और बेंजोडायजेपाइन जैसी दवाएं जैसे 'जेड-ड्रग्स' शामिल हैं;

ओपिओइड, जिसमें दर्द निवारक दवाएं और ओपिओइड एगोनिस्ट उपचार दवाएं शामिल हैं;

ध्यान घाटे और अति सक्रियता विकार (एडीएचडी) के इलाज के लिए निर्धारित उत्तेजक; और

ओवर-द-काउंटर दवाएँ, जिनमें कुछ खांसी की दवाइयाँ और एंटीहिस्टामाइन शामिल हैं।

ओपिओइड एगोनिस्ट का डायवर्सन और गैर-चिकित्सा उपयोग यूरोप में विशेष चिंता का विषय है। मृत्यु दर के अलावा, संबंधित परिणामों में दवा के इंजेक्शन से जुड़ी जटिलताएँ, उपचार के परिणामों पर नकारात्मक प्रभाव और उपचार सेवाओं की प्रतिष्ठा के लिए खतरे शामिल हैं।

[mikesassa]

The cannabis illicit market existed in all countries long before the legal markets arrived late on the scene. They have the biggest global distribution networks, with direct-to-your-door service and choices. For legal producers, the illicit market is and will always be the largest competitor to the legal market. 

The dynamics of cannabis consumption in the European Union and beyond portray an interplay between cultural acceptance, legal restriction, consumer appetite and geography. 

The best data for the vast majority of European consumers today, sadly for now, comes from crime statistics, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and the Office for National Statistics, as well as anecdotal evidence. 

[pazaryerigundem]

Avrupa'da uyuşturucu her yerde!

https://pazaryerigundem.com/haber/178047/avrupada-uyusturucu-her-yerde/

Avrupa'da uyuşturucu her yerde!

Avrupa’nın uyuşturucu ajansı, Avrupa Birliği genelinde uyuşturucu tüketimindeki endişe verici eğilimler ve artan kamu sağlığı sonuçları konusunda uyarıda bulundu.

İSTANBUL (İGFA) – Avrupa Birliği’nin (AB) uyuşturucu izleme ajansı Avrupa Uyuşturucu ve Uyuşturucu Bağımlılığı İzleme Merkezi (European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction – EMCDDA), yayımladığı son raporunda, uyuşturucuya erişimin kolaylaştığına ve giderek karmaşıklaşan ticarileşme modellerine dikkat çekti.

Euronews’in aktardığı habere göre ajansın son raporunda, Avrupa’da uyuşturucuyla ilgili durumun, en iyi “her yerde, her şey, herkes” şeklinde tanımlanabileceği ifade edildi.

EMCDDA Direktörü Alexis Goosdeel, raporun sunumunu yaparken, yasadışı uyuşturucu kullanımının etkisinin artık toplumun hemen her yerinde görüldüğünü belirterek, “AB topraklarında hiç bu kadar çok uyuşturucu bulunmamış ya da üretilmemişti” ifadelerini kullandı.

Raporda AB’de geçtiğimiz yıl 22 milyon kişinin esrar, 4 milyon kişinin kokain ve yaklaşık 3 milyon kişinin de halk arasında “ekstazi” olarak bilinen MDMA haplarını kullandığı belirtildi.

BU Haber İGF HABER AJANSI tarafından servis edilmiştir.

[thoughtlessarse]

European drug agency warns of concerning patterns in the consumption of drugs across the bloc, with increasing public health consequences. The situation regarding drugs in Europe is best described with the words "everywhere, everything, everyone", a drug monitoring agency has warned in a report flagging the increasing availability of narcotics and increasingly complex commercialisation patterns. The impact of the use of illicit drugs is now seen almost everywhere in society, and “we have never had so many drugs available or produced on the territory of the EU”, Alexis Goosdeel, the director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) said while presenting the report. The report stated that 22 million people used cannabis, 4 million cocaine, and almost 3 million MDMA in the last year in the EU. The 2024 report showed that in 85.4 million people reported having used cannabis at some point of their life, while in the 2022 report that number was of 78.6m. The number of at least one-time users of cocaine jumped from 14.4m in 2022 to 15.4m; and the figure for MDMA - typically called ecstasy - leapt from 10.6m to 12.3m. The drug agency said that almost all comestibles with psychoactive properties have the potential to be used and marketed as drugs, often mislabelled or in compound form. This leads to widespread consumer ignorance about the nature of the drugs consumed, greatly increasing health risks. EMCDDA’s director warned that there are many new substances that “nobody would imagine that human beings could use", such as veterinary medicine products. The agency found that the EU drug market is now characterised by a broader range of substances, which are often available at high potency or purity or in new forms, mixtures or combinations. This can have serious public health implications as both the consumer and scientific knowledge remains limited.     

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Nobody would imagine that humans could use vet medicines? Really? Has he never heard of ketamine? Or any of the numerous other drugs that are used in both human and animal healthcare?

Anyway, if they want to reduce harm to individuals, and society as a whole, caused by illegal drug use, they should legalise and regulate them.

[a-bonb]

Un análisis de las aguas residuales ha indicado que, en Europa, la cocaína procedente de Suramérica se consume ahora en las ciudades más pequeñas, además de los grandes centros urbanos.

El informe, publicado el 20 de marzo por el Observatorio Europeo de las Drogas y las Toxicomanías (EMCDDA, por sus siglas en inglés), es el último resumen anual de la institución sobre los residuos de drogas utilizados para estimar el consumo de cocaína en las ciudades europeas participantes. Este año, el informe analizó los resultados de aproximadamente 90 ciudades y pueblos, aunque varias ciudades importantes, como Londres, Madrid y Berlín, no participaron.

En él se constata que la ciudad belga de Amberes, puerto vital para la llegada de drogas de América Latina a Europa, sigue siendo la capital del consumo de cocaína en el continente, mientras que los Estados de Europa del Este —en particular la República Checa y Eslovaquia— siguen dominando el consumo de metanfetamina, aunque esta situación está cambiando lentamente.

Eine Analyse des Abwassers hat ergeben, dass in Europa Kokain aus Südamerika mittlerweile sowohl in kleineren Städten als auch in großen urbanen Zentren konsumiert wird.

Der am 20. März von der Europäischen Beobachtungsstelle für Drogen und Drogensucht (EBDD) veröffentlichte Bericht ist die neueste jährliche Zusammenfassung der Institution über Drogenrückstände, die zur Schätzung des Kokainkonsums in teilnehmenden europäischen Städten verwendet wird. In diesem Jahr analysierte der Bericht die Ergebnisse von rund 90 Städten, obwohl mehrere Großstädte wie London, Madrid und Berlin nicht teilnahmen.

Es bestätigt, dass die belgische Stadt Antwerpen, ein wichtiger Hafen für die Ankunft von Drogen aus Lateinamerika nach Europa, weiterhin die Hauptstadt des Kokainkonsums auf dem Kontinent ist, während die Staaten Osteuropas – insbesondere die Tschechische Republik und die Slowakei – weiterhin bestehen den Methamphetaminkonsum zu dominieren, auch wenn sich diese Situation langsam ändert.

El informe también ha ido más allá de la Unión Europea para comparar por primera vez los residuos a escala mundial, incluyendo en su análisis ciudades de Estados Unidos y Brasil.

Los investigadores analizaron los sistemas de alcantarillado en busca de indicios de la cantidad de cocaína que consume la población, que calculan en miligramos por cada 1.000 habitantes al día (mg/1000p/día).

Los estudios sobre aguas residuales solo miden las drogas que se han consumido, no las que se han vertido, explicó a , João Matias, analista científico del EMCDDA y uno de los autores del estudio.

“Una vez dentro de nuestro cuerpo, la droga se metaboliza. Una vez excretada al alcantarillado, los investigadores pueden tomar muestras antes de que el agua sea tratada. Buscamos los metabolitos producidos tras el uso de una sustancia concreta”, explica Matias.

Der Bericht geht auch über die Europäische Union hinaus und vergleicht zum ersten Mal Abfälle auf globaler Ebene, wobei Städte in den Vereinigten Staaten und Brasilien in seine Analyse einbezogen werden.

Forscher analysierten Abwassersysteme auf Hinweise auf die von der Bevölkerung konsumierte Kokainmenge, die sie in Milligramm pro 1.000 Einwohner und Tag (mg/1000p/Tag) berechneten.

Studien zu Abwasser messen nur die Medikamente, die konsumiert wurden, nicht die, die entsorgt wurden, erklärte João Matias, wissenschaftlicher Analyst bei der EMCDDA und einer der Autoren der Studie, gegenüber .

„Sobald das Medikament in unserem Körper ist, wird es verstoffwechselt. Sobald es in die Kanalisation gelangt, können Forscher Proben entnehmen, bevor das Wasser aufbereitet wird. Wir suchen nach den Metaboliten, die nach der Verwendung einer bestimmten Substanz entstehen“, erklärt Matias.

analiza aquí las conclusiones del informe sobre el aumento de la prevalencia de la cocaína y la metanfetamina más allá de las grandes ciudades europeas, así como los nuevos datos de ciudades no pertenecientes a la Unión Europea.

Hier werden die Ergebnisse des Berichts zur zunehmenden Prävalenz von Kokain und Methamphetamin außerhalb europäischer Großstädte sowie neue Daten aus Nicht-EU-Städten analysiert.

Disminuyen las disparidades entre el consumo urbano y el no urbano

Este año, los investigadores observaron que ya no existen diferencias en las lecturas de residuos entre entornos urbanos y no urbanos en Europa, lo que sugiere que los traficantes han inundado el continente con cocaína, y ahora está disponible en casi todas partes.

“Al contrario que en años anteriores, en la mayoría de los países con múltiples ubicaciones de estudio no se encontraron diferencias marcadas al comparar las grandes ciudades con zonas más pequeñas”, según el informe.

El cultivo de coca y la producción de cocaína sin precedentes en los países del lado de la oferta del tráfico de cocaína han permitido esta propagación.

Die Unterschiede zwischen städtischem und nichtstädtischem Konsum nehmen ab

In diesem Jahr stellten Forscher fest, dass es in Europa keine Unterschiede mehr bei den Rückstandswerten zwischen städtischen und nichtstädtischen Umgebungen gibt, was darauf hindeutet, dass Drogenhändler den Kontinent mit Kokain überschwemmt haben und es mittlerweile fast überall erhältlich ist.

„Anders als in den Vorjahren konnten in den meisten Ländern mit mehreren Studienorten keine deutlichen Unterschiede beim Vergleich von Großstädten mit kleineren Gebieten festgestellt werden“, heißt es in dem Bericht.

Der beispiellose Kokaanbau und die Kokainproduktion in Ländern auf der Angebotsseite des Kokainhandels haben diese Ausbreitung ermöglicht.

Las autoridades de Colombia, el mayor productor mundial de cocaína, incautaron 739,5 toneladas de esta droga en 2023, lo que supone un aumento con respecto a las 659 toneladas incautadas en 2022. Perú registró un descenso del 4,4% en las incautaciones de cocaína, pero un 53% más de cocaína base, mientras que las incautaciones bolivianas se dispararon un 62%.

Es probable que la reducción de la meta de erradicación del gobierno colombiano a 10.000 hectáreas —la mitad del objetivo fijado para 2023— haga que el cultivo de coca aumente aún más este año.

Incluso con las incautaciones récord en América Latina, las incautaciones en Europa también siguieron aumentando. Los puntos de entrada tradicionales de Europa (Bélgica, Países Bajos y España) aumentaron sus incautaciones. Suecia y Rusia, países poco conocidos por recibir cocaína, registraron grandes incautaciones individuales de 699 kilogramos y 460 kilogramos respectivamente, mientras que Noruega realizó la mayor incautación de cocaína de su historia con 800 kilogramos.

Die Behörden in Kolumbien, dem weltgrößten Kokainproduzenten, beschlagnahmten im Jahr 2023 739,5 Tonnen dieser Droge, ein Anstieg im Vergleich zu den beschlagnahmten 659 Tonnen im Jahr 2022. Peru verzeichnete einen Rückgang der Sicherstellungen von Kokain um 4,4 %, jedoch um 53 % mehr Kokainbasis In Bolivien stiegen die Anfälle um 62 %.

Die Reduzierung des Ausrottungsziels durch die kolumbianische Regierung auf 10.000 Hektar – die Hälfte des für 2023 gesetzten Ziels – dürfte in diesem Jahr zu einem weiteren Anstieg des Kokaanbaus führen.

Trotz Rekordanfällen in Lateinamerika stiegen auch die Anfälle in Europa weiter an. An den traditionellen Einreisepunkten Europas (Belgien, Niederlande und Spanien) nahmen die Beschlagnahmungen zu. Schweden und Russland, Länder, die wenig für den Empfang von Kokain bekannt sind, verzeichneten große Einzelbeschlagnahmungen von 699 Kilogramm bzw. 460 Kilogramm, während Norwegen mit 800 Kilogramm die größte Kokainbeschlagnahme in seiner Geschichte vornahm.

El informe también revela que los residuos de cocaína se han duplicado desde 2011 entre las siete ciudades que han participado cada año en el estudio.

Desde 2011, el valor diario de residuos de cocaína en Amberes en Bélgica, Zagreb en Croacia, Milán en Italia, Eindhoven y Utrecht en Países Bajos, y Castellón y Santiago en España, pasó de 341 mg/1.000p/día a 747 mg/1.000p/día en 2023. El año pasado, la tasa en estas ciudades era ligeramente superior, de 800 mg/1.000p/día.

El aumento del consumo está “definitivamente relacionado con la mayor disponibilidad [en Europa] y el aumento de la producción de cocaína en Suramérica”, afirmó Matias.

Der Bericht zeigt auch, dass sich die Kokainrückstände seit 2011 in den sieben Städten, die an der Studie teilnahmen, jedes Jahr verdoppelt haben.

Seit 2011 ist der tägliche Wert an Kokainrückständen in Antwerpen in Belgien, Zagreb in Kroatien, Mailand in Italien, Eindhoven und Utrecht in den Niederlanden sowie Castellón und Santiago in Spanien von 341 mg/1.000 Pence/Tag auf 747 mg/Tag gestiegen . 1.000 Pence/Tag im Jahr 2023. Letztes Jahr war die Rate in diesen Städten mit 800 mg/1.000 Pence/Tag etwas höher.

Der Anstieg des Konsums hängt „definitiv mit der größeren Verfügbarkeit [in Europa] und dem Anstieg der Kokainproduktion in Südamerika zusammen“, sagte Matias.

La lenta propagación de la metanfetamina

El informe también constata que el consumo de metanfetamina se ha extendido a nuevas zonas del continente, mientras que las incautaciones de esta droga tanto en América Latina como en Europa han sido noticia.

“El consumo de metanfetamina, generalmente bajo e históricamente concentrado en la República Checa y Eslovaquia, parece estar presente ahora también en Bélgica, Chipre, el este de Alemania, España, los Países Bajos, Turquía y varios países del norte de Europa”, señala el informe. Sin embargo, en general, el estudio encontró que la cantidad de metanfetamina consumida se mantuvo estable.

“Uno de los aspectos más destacados del informe del año pasado era que observábamos un aumento del consumo de metanfetamina en la mayor parte de Europa”, afirmó Matias. “Este año hemos detectado consumo en muchos países, pero no hemos visto el mismo aumento que en años anteriores”.

Die langsame Verbreitung von Methamphetamin

Der Bericht bestätigt auch, dass sich der Methamphetaminkonsum auf neue Gebiete des Kontinents ausgeweitet hat, während Sicherstellungen dieser Droge sowohl in Lateinamerika als auch in Europa für Schlagzeilen gesorgt haben.

„Der Methamphetaminkonsum, der im Allgemeinen niedrig war und sich historisch auf die Tschechische Republik und die Slowakei konzentrierte, scheint nun auch in Belgien, Zypern, Ostdeutschland, Spanien, den Niederlanden, der Türkei und mehreren nordeuropäischen Ländern vorhanden zu sein“, heißt es in dem Bericht. Insgesamt ergab die Studie jedoch, dass die Menge des konsumierten Methamphetamins stabil blieb.

„Einer der Höhepunkte des letztjährigen Berichts war, dass wir in den meisten Teilen Europas einen Anstieg des Methamphetaminkonsums feststellen konnten“, sagte Matias. „In diesem Jahr haben wir in vielen Ländern einen Verbrauch festgestellt, aber nicht den gleichen Anstieg wie in den Vorjahren.“

La metanfetamina, una droga sintética, ha sido suministrada tradicionalmente al mercado europeo por agentes locales, incluso en los núcleos de consumo de la República Checa y Eslovaquia.

Sin embargo, en 2019, múltiples detenciones de cocineros de metanfetamina mexicanos o de otros países latinoamericanos en los Países Bajos y Bélgica sugirieron que el «método mexicano» —la producción de metanfetamina utilizada en México que produce una droga de alta calidad— estaba siendo aprendido por los productores europeos. Desde 2019, no ha habido más detenciones, lo que implica que se ha producido una transferencia de conocimientos.

La mayor parte de la producción de metanfetamina en México suele tener lugar en el estado noroccidental de Sinaloa, y luego se trafica con ella hacia Estados Unidos. Recientemente, han llegado a las costas europeas cantidades significativas de metanfetamina, aunque la mayoría estaba destinada a seguir su trayecto.

Methamphetamin, eine synthetische Droge, wird traditionell von lokalen Agenten auf den europäischen Markt gebracht, unter anderem in den Konsumzentren der Tschechischen Republik und der Slowakei.

Im Jahr 2019 deuteten jedoch mehrere Verhaftungen mexikanischer oder anderer lateinamerikanischer Meth-Köche in den Niederlanden und Belgien darauf hin, dass die „mexikanische Methode“ – die Herstellung von Methamphetamin, die in Mexiko verwendet wird, um eine hochwertige Droge herzustellen – von europäischen Herstellern erlernt wurde . Seit 2019 kam es zu keinen weiteren Festnahmen, was darauf hindeutet, dass ein Wissenstransfer stattgefunden hat.

Der Großteil der Methamphetaminproduktion in Mexiko findet typischerweise im nordwestlichen Bundesstaat Sinaloa statt und wird dann in die Vereinigten Staaten geschmuggelt. In letzter Zeit wurden erhebliche Mengen Methamphetamin an die europäischen Küsten gespült, obwohl die meisten davon dazu bestimmt waren, ihre Reise fortzusetzen.

En febrero de 2024, Irlanda realizó la mayor incautación de metanfetamina de su historia: 546 kilos, avaluada en unos US$35 millones. La droga procedía de México y se dirigía a Australia, según la policía. Se siguió la pista del envío hasta el Cartel de Sinaloa.

A principios de septiembre, las autoridades mexicanas descubrieron 20 toneladas de presunta metanfetamina a bordo de un barco en Veracruz, en la costa atlántica de México, según un comunicado de prensa. El barco se dirigía a Rotterdam, Países Bajos.

Im Februar 2024 wurde in Irland die größte Methamphetamin-Beschlagnahme in seiner Geschichte vorgenommen: 546 Kilo im Wert von etwa 35 Millionen US-Dollar. Die Drogen stammten aus Mexiko und waren nach Angaben der Polizei auf dem Weg nach Australien. Die Sendung wurde bis zum Sinaloa-Kartell zurückverfolgt.

Laut einer Pressemitteilung entdeckten mexikanische Behörden Anfang September 20 Tonnen mutmaßliches Methamphetamin an Bord eines Schiffes in Veracruz an der mexikanischen Atlantikküste. Das Schiff war auf dem Weg nach Rotterdam, Niederlande.

Las ciudades no europeas no se quedan atrás en consumo de cocaína

Por primera vez, el informe del EMCDDA ha incluido resultados sobre aguas residuales de ciudades no pertenecientes a la Unión Europea. Las ciudades de Estados Unidos, Suiza y Brasil “muestran niveles de uso similares a los de las ciudades europeas con las cargas más elevadas”, según el informe.

Seattle, en Estados Unidos, registró una media diaria de 647 mg/1.000p, mientras que Ginebra, en Suiza, registró 812 mg/1.000p. La ciudad de Recife, en el noreste de Brasil, registró una media diaria de 670 mg/1.000p.

Außereuropäische Städte liegen beim Kokainkonsum nicht weit zurück

Zum ersten Mal wurden im EBDD-Bericht Ergebnisse zu Abwasser aus Städten außerhalb der Europäischen Union berücksichtigt. Städte in den USA, der Schweiz und Brasilien „weisen ein ähnliches Nutzungsniveau auf wie europäische Städte mit der höchsten Auslastung“, heißt es in dem Bericht.

Seattle in den Vereinigten Staaten verzeichnete einen Tagesdurchschnitt von 647 mg/1.000 Pence, während Genf in der Schweiz 812 mg/1.000 Pence verzeichnete. Die Stadt Recife im Nordosten Brasiliens verzeichnete einen Tagesdurchschnitt von 670 mg/1.000 Pence.

Estos resultados están más o menos a la altura de ciudades europeas como Utrecht (744), París (616) y Barcelona (619), pero aún muy por debajo de las grandes como Amberes (1.722), con el mayor registro de todas las ciudades participantes, o Ámsterdam (1.210).

Mientras que el consumo de cocaína puede estar arraigado en muchas regiones del mundo, Oceanía permanece relativamente intacta, según los resultados de los residuos. La media diaria de 102 mg/1.000p en los 55 lugares de Australia analizados, sugiere una escasez de la droga, y proporciona muchas razones para que los grupos del crimen organizado continúen, y quizá incluso aumenten, sus intentos de transportar cocaína a este mercado sin explotar.

Imagen principal: Líneas de cocaína. Crédito.

Diese Ergebnisse liegen mehr oder weniger auf dem Niveau europäischer Städte wie Utrecht (744), Paris (616) und Barcelona (619), liegen aber immer noch weit unter denen von Großstädten wie Antwerpen (1.722), mit dem höchsten Rekord aller Teilnehmer , oder Amsterdam (1.210).

Während der Kokainkonsum in vielen Regionen der Welt möglicherweise fest verankert ist, bleibt Ozeanien den Rückstandsergebnissen zufolge relativ unberührt. Der Tagesdurchschnitt von 102 mg/1.000 Pence an den 55 analysierten australischen Standorten deutet auf einen Mangel an der Droge hin und liefert viele Gründe für organisierte Kriminalitätsgruppen, ihre Versuche, Kokain in diesen Markt zu transportieren, ohne zu explodieren, fortzusetzen und vielleicht sogar zu verstärken.

Hauptbild: Kokainlinien. Kredit.

[pacosemnoticias]

Tráfico de droga na UE atinge "extrema violência" e corrupção facilita negócio

A corrupção está a facilitar o tráfico de droga na União Europeia e a minar o Estado de Direito, segundo um relatório divulgado, que alerta que a “extrema violência” ligada ao negócio pressiona comunidades locais e a sociedade.

Esta é a principal conclusão de um relatório conjunto do Observatório Europeu da Droga e da Toxicodependência (EMCDDA, na sigla em inglês) e da EUROPOL (agência da União Europeia para a cooperação policial) hoje divulgado em Haia, com o título Drug Markets: Key Insights for Policy and Practice (Mercados de Drogas: Principais contribuições para Políticas e Práticas).

O documento estima que o mercado retalhista de droga da União Europeia (UE) valha mais de 30 mil milhões de euros anualmente, o que o torna uma importante fonte de rendimento para o crime organizado.

A Europa ocupa uma posição central no fornecimento e no tráfico de drogas, como evidenciado pela produção em grande escala de canábis e drogas sintéticas na UE e pelos enormes volumes de cocaína que chegam da América Latina, refere o documento conjunto da EUROPOL e da agência europeia da droga, sediada em Lisboa.

Estes investigadores afirmam, na conclusão do documento, que “o mercado de droga da UE também se cruza com outras áreas de criminalidade, como o tráfico de armas de fogo e o branqueamento de capitais”.

“Alguns Estados-membros da UE registam atualmente níveis sem precedentes de violência relacionada com o mercado da droga, incluindo assassínios, tortura, raptos e intimidação”, afirmam, acrescentando que estas situações ocorrem “frequentemente entre redes criminosas, embora pessoas inocentes também sejam vítimas, aumentando a perceção de insegurança pública”.

O estudo sublinha que a corrupção é também “uma ameaça importante na UE”, uma vez que as redes criminosas dependem dela em todos os níveis do mercado da droga para facilitar as suas atividades e mitigar os riscos”.

Na opinião dos especialistas das duas agências, “a corrupção tem um efeito corrosivo no tecido da sociedade, comprometendo a governação, a segurança e o Estado de Direito”.

Uma preocupação adicional expressa no documento é o facto de as redes criminosas que operam no mercado da droga da UE serem altamente adaptáveis, inovadoras e resilientes às crises globais, à instabilidade e às mudanças políticas e económicas significativas.

“Exemplos recentes destes choques incluem a pandemia da covid-19, a guerra da Rússia contra a Ucrânia e a ascensão dos Talibã ao poder no Afeganistão”, constatam, explicando que, em resposta, as redes criminosas adaptaram-se, alterando as rotas do tráfico e diversificando os seus métodos.

Neste documento, que serve de referência para os Estados-membros criarem políticas para combater este fenómeno, os especialistas enfatizam a necessidade urgente de “enfrentar as ameaças atuais e aumentar a resiliência”.

O novo relatório destaca áreas-chave de ação a nível da UE e dos Estados-Membros para enfrentar as atuais ameaças do mercado de drogas ilícitas.

Estas sugestões incluem “melhorar a monitorização e a análise da violência relacionada com o mercado de drogas, dar maior prioridade às atividades operacionais que desmantelam redes criminosas e impulsionar a cooperação internacional”. Também são enfatizados o aumento dos recursos humanos e financeiros para intervenções operacionais e estratégicas e o reforço das respostas políticas, de saúde pública e de segurança.

Este mais recente relatório oferece, segundo os seus especialistas, “um resumo estratégico e de alto nível do mercado de droga na União Europeia, baseado numa compreensão sólida do panorama atual da droga e das ameaças emergentes”.

[awesomehappystudentmagazine-blog]

Στραμμένο το βλέμμα της Ευρώπης στην πρακτική της Ελλάδας για τις εξαρτήσεις

Το Κέντρο Ημέρας με υπηρεσίες Βραχείας Φιλοξενίας και την Κινητή Μονάδα του ΟΚΑΝΑ στη Θεσσαλονίκη, όπου και συναντήθηκε με τον Υφυπουργό Υγείας κ. Δημήτρη Βαρτζόπουλο, τον Πρόεδρο του ΟΚΑΝΑ κ. Αθανάσιο Θεοχάρη, αλλά και τα στελέχη της δομής επισκέφθηκε ο Διευθυντής του EMCDDA κ. Alexis Goosdeel Όπως επεσήμανε ο κ. Goosdeel κατά την επίσκεψή του η Ευρώπη και το Ευρωπαϊκό Κέντρο Παρακολούθησης…

[head-post]

EU 2023 drug markets report

The EMCDDA and Europol have published today a new analysis – ‘EU Drug Market: Cannabis’ – which indicates that cannabis products are becoming increasingly potent and diverse, with co-operation between criminal groups creating new security risks in Europe, Europol reports.

The analysis details the illicit European market for cannabis products, from production and trafficking to distribution and use. It also provides detailed information on the processes, materials and criminal actors involved at different stages and levels of the market.

According to the latest estimates, around 22.6 million EU adults (15-64 years old) have used cannabis in the last year. The annual cannabis market is worth at least €11.4 billion and is the largest drug market in Europe. In 2021, seizures of cannabis herb and cannabis resin in the EU reached their highest levels in the past decade, at 256 tonnes and 816 tonnes, respectively. In addition, more than 4.3 million cannabis plants were intercepted.

Learn more HERE

[mirandamckenni1]

Kokainowy rekord w belgijskim mieście. Europa tonie w narkotykach

Rekordy w ilości przechwyconych narkotyków, 41 nowych nielegalnych substancji na rynku, na którym nadal króluje kokaina, a najwięcej jej stwierdzono w ściekach Antwerpii — to tylko niektóre wnioski z tegorocznego raportu Europejskiego Centrum Monitorowania Narkotyków i Narkomanii (EMCDDA). Pada w nim wiele mówiące stwierdzenie: "Wszędzie, wszystko, wszyscy". from [H]yperreal - newsy https://ift.tt/LirWTzg

[behavorialhealthpalmbeaches]

Devil’s Breath: The Scariest Drug in the World?

Can you believe business cards could be a catalyst for drug exposure? Some would say yes. Stories are circulating of a dangerous chemical known as Devil's Breath making its way around the world, being blown into the faces of random passersby and soaked into business cards to render unsuspecting tourists incapacitated. The result is a zombie-like state that leaves victims immobile and defenseless. Below is more on the world's scariest drug, its origins, and what it does to the body.

What Is Devil's Breath?

The Devil's Breath drug is derived from a flower of the borrachero shrub, which is common in the Southern American country Colombia. The seeds are powdered and extracted via a chemical process. They contain a chemical similar to scopolamine called burundanga, which is why scopolamine is also frequently referred to as Devil's Breath. The borrachero shrub has been used for hundreds of years by native South Americans in spiritual and religious rituals.

Currently, not only are Colombia and Ecuador known for Devil's Breath incidents, but now reports have migrated to the romantic streets of Paris. The compound is said to produce hallucinations, frightening images, and immobility or inability. For this reason, Devil's Breath is often used to make crimes easier to facilitate, including emptied bank accounts, robbed homes and cars, stolen organs, and rape.

Doubts and Hesitations

Despite the very real effects of the drug, there's still some hesitation concerning the intensity of the drug. According to Val Curran, professor of pharmacology at UCL's Clinical Pharmacology Unit, there's never a toxicology report linked to Devil's Breath cases, meaning there's no way to tell what's in the drug. Additionally, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has never had any mention of scopolamine being used to facilitate crime.

The substance is also difficult to get a hold of. It's not a drug that can easily be ordered online or purchased on the streets, mainly because it's not considered a pleasurable or desirable recreational drug. According to Curran, subjects in her experiments hated taking the drug, as it would cause dry mouth, constricted pupils, and "zonk them out."

Curran can attest to the fact that Devil's Breath would make it difficult for a person to defend themselves in certain situations, as it causes severe drowsiness and sedation. It could also make it difficult for the individual to remember anything that happened to them while under the influence of Devil's Breath. Even so, the professor disagrees with its claims of incapacitation.

Devil's Breath Effects

What we know of Devil's Breath drug effects comes from the medical use of scopolamine and the various claims of victims exposed to the drug. Overall, common Devil's Breath effects include:

A rash or red skin

Agitation

Blurred vision

Bradycardia (slow heart rate)

Coma

Confusion

Delirium

Dilated pupils

Dizziness

Drowsiness

Dry mouth

Hallucinations

Headache

Pain or difficulty urinating

Restlessness

Seizures

Sore throat

Sweating

Trouble speaking

Safety Precautions

If you're taking prescription scopolamine, be sure to take it as directed by your doctor to avoid any adverse reactions. When it comes to Devil's Breath, we not only recommend avoiding drug use altogether, but we also encourage taking safety precautions when traveling.

[hemp-pot]

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