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The EU is an important market for illicit drugs (hereinafter referred to as drugs), both in terms of consumption and production. An estimated 29 % of European adults aged 15-65 have used drugs at least once in their lifetime, the majority of them being men. Cannabis remains by far the most used drug, followed by cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy or molly) and amphetamines. Drugs have been claiming an increasing number of lives in the EU since 2012, but their impact goes far beyond the harm caused by their use ...

Every 26 June, the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking seeks to raise awareness of the problems, challenges and nefarious effects of illicit drugs (hereinafter referred to as drugs) on individuals and on society as whole. Drugs are an increasingly complex security, social and health problem that affects millions of people in the European Union (EU) and globally. The drug market generates huge profits for organised crime, and is estimated to be the source of approximately ...

Cannabis is by far the most commonly used illicit drug (referred to as drug in this briefing) in the European Union (EU), where its distribution, cultivation, possession and use (consumption) are largely prohibited. The prohibition of drug-related activities other than those performed for medical or scientific purposes is the defining feature of the international drug control system. Set up by the United Nations (UN), this system is composed of three complementary conventions, to which all EU Member ...

In January 2022, the European Commission proposed a stronger mandate for the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) to ensure that the Agency can react effectively to new challenges, provide better support to Member States, and contribute to developments at the international level. During the June 2023 plenary session, Parliament is set to vote on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations.