Trans-European Drug Information

Last updated
Trans-European Drug Information network
AbbreviationTEDI
Founded20 June 2008;15 years ago (2008-06-20)
Focus Drug checking
Area served
Europe
Website https://www.tedinetwork.org/

The Trans-European Drug Information (TEDI) project is a European database compiling information from different drug checking services located on the European continent. The non-governmental organizations feeding into the database are referred to as the TEDI network.

Contents

History

The first drug checking service in Europe opened in 1986 in Amsterdam, allowing drug users to analyze the chemical composition of illicit substances that they consume. [1] In the following years, a number of nonprofit organizations present in various other drug scenes [2] in several countries (including in Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland) set up drug checking services. [3]

In 2011, a database was created for to centralize information from these services and allow for the sharing of alerts (for example on new adulterants in illicit substances [4] or circulation of novel psychoactive substance [5] ) and the monitoring of drug markets across borders. [6]

Between 2008 and 2013, organizations member of the TEDI network analyzed more than 45,000 samples of recreational drugs , showing similarities and discrepancies between areas of the European continent, in terms of purity, formulation, or prices. [7]

The TEDI project

The project and network are hosted by the Polish nonprofit TEDI Nightlife Empowerment & Well-being Network (also known as NEW net or SaferNightlife).[ citation needed ]

Network

As of 2022, the TEDI network was integrated by 20 organizations across 13 countries (Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom). [8] A team of professionals from various fields (substance use disorder prevention workers, pharmacists, chemists, etc.) across network member organizations constitutes the TEDI project's team. [6]

Database

The aims of the Trans-European Drug Information project are to collect, monitor and analyze the evolution of the European recreational drug market trends, and to regularly report the findings. Since 2011, the database has facilitated the centralization and comparison of information collected at the local level.[ citation needed ]

The TEDI database also feeds into the early warning system of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). EMCDDA and the TEDI network also collaborate on the organization of conferences [9] and trainings. [10]

In 2019, the mobile application TripApp was launched by a consortium or organizations, sharing in real-time alerts [11] from the TEDI database in addition to connecting app users with local harm reduction providers. [12] The app received an award from the Council of Europe in 2021. [13]

Guidelines

As part of the project, guidelines and methodological recommendations have been published, such as:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harm reduction</span> Public health policies designed to lessen the negative consequences associated with human behavior

Harm reduction, or harm minimization, refers to a range of intentional practices and public health policies designed to lessen the negative social and/or physical consequences associated with various human behaviors, both legal and illegal. Harm reduction is used to decrease negative consequences of recreational drug use and sexual activity without requiring abstinence, recognizing that those unable or unwilling to stop can still make positive change to protect themselves and others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erowid</span> Non-profit educational organization

Erowid, also called Erowid Center, is a non-profit educational organization that provides information about psychoactive plants and chemicals.

A designer drug is a structural or functional analog of a controlled substance that has been designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the original drug, while avoiding classification as illegal and/or detection in standard drug tests. Designer drugs include psychoactive substances that have been designated by the European Union as new psychoactive substances (NPS) as well as analogs of performance-enhancing drugs such as designer steroids. Some of these were originally synthesized by academic or industrial researchers in an effort to discover more potent derivatives with fewer side effects and shorter duration and were later co-opted for recreational use. Other designer drugs were prepared for the first time in clandestine laboratories. Because the efficacy and safety of these substances have not been thoroughly evaluated in animal and human trials, the use of some of these drugs may result in unexpected side effects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction</span> Dana vongamath

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polysubstance use</span> Use of multiple psychoactive substances

Polysubstance use or poly drug use refers to the use of combined psychoactive substances. Polysubstance use may be used for entheogenic, recreational, or off-label indications, with both legal and illegal substances. In many cases one drug is used as a base or primary drug, with additional drugs to leaven or compensate for the side effects, or tolerance, of the primary drug and make the experience more enjoyable with drug synergy effects, or to supplement for primary drug when supply is low.

Adult lifetime cannabis use by country is the lifetime prevalence of cannabis use among all adults in surveys among the general population. Lifetime prevalence means any use of cannabis during a person's life.

The drug policy of Portugal, informally called the "drug strategy", was put in place in 2000, and came into effect in July 2001. Its purpose was to reduce the number of new HIV/AIDS cases in the country, as it was estimated around half of new cases came from injection drug use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Methoxetamine</span> Dissociative drug

Methoxetamine, abbreviated as MXE, is a dissociative hallucinogen that has been sold as a designer drug. It differs from many dissociatives such as ketamine and phencyclidine (PCP) that were developed as pharmaceutical drugs for use as general anesthetics in that it was designed specifically to increase the antidepressant effects of ketamine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benzedrone</span> Chemical compound

Benzedrone (4-MBC) is a designer drug which has been found since 2010 as an ingredient in a number of "bath salt" mixes sold as recreational drugs.

The European Association of Libraries and Information Services on Addictions (ELISAD) – previously called, until end of 2011, European Association of Libraries and Information Services on Alcohol and other Drugs – was a European non-governmental and non-profit making social network of libraries, documentation centres and information services situated in Europe and specialised in alcohol, drugs, tobacco and all other behavioural addictions.

Council of the European Union decisions on designer drugs. Council of the European Union issued a set of decisions on 7 designer drugs to make them subject to control measures and criminal provisions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3-(4-Hydroxymethylbenzoyl)-1-pentylindole</span> Chemical compound

3-(4-Hydroxymethylbenzoyl)-1-pentylindole is a synthetic cannabinoid. It is planned to be scheduled in Poland. It has been reported to the EMCDDA and Europol for the first time in 2010 under the terms of European Council Decision 2005/387/JHA of 10 May 2005 on the information exchange, risk-assessment and control of new psychoactive substances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MDMB-CHMICA</span> Chemical compound

MDMB-CHMICA is an indole-based synthetic cannabinoid that is a potent agonist of the CB1 receptor and has been sold online as a designer drug. While MDMB-CHMICA was initially sold under the name "MMB-CHMINACA", the compound corresponding to this code name (i.e. the isopropyl instead of t-butyl analogue of MDMB-CHMINACA) has been identified on the designer drug market in 2015 as AMB-CHMINACA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Methoxyacetylfentanyl</span> Opioid analgesic

Methoxyacetylfentanyl, commonly known as MAF is an opioid analgesic that is an analog of fentanyl and has been sold online as a designer drug.

Drug checking or pill testing is a way to reduce the harm from drug consumption by allowing users to find out the content and purity of substances that they intend to consume. This enables users to make safer choices: to avoid more dangerous substances, to use smaller quantities, and to avoid dangerous combinations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4-EA-NBOMe</span> Chemical compound

4-EA-NBOMe is a substituted amphetamine and 25-NB derivative which has been sold as a designer drug. It was first identified by a forensic laboratory in Germany in 2014, but while its analytical properties and metabolism have been studied, its pharmacology remains unknown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CUMYL-CBMINACA</span> Chemical compound

CUMYL-CBMINACA (SGT-277) is an indazole-3-carboxamide based synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist that has been sold as a designer drug, first being identified in Germany in February 2020. It is illegal in Finland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5-Methylmethiopropamine</span> Chemical compound

5-Methylmethiopropamine is a stimulant drug which is a ring-substituted derivative of methiopropamine. It is not a substituted cathinone derivative like mephedrone, as it lacks a ketone group at the β position of the aliphatic side chain, but instead more closely resembles substituted amphetamines. It has been sold as a designer drug, first being identified in Germany in June 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">N-Ethyl-2C-B</span> Chemical compound

N-Ethyl-2C-B is a recreational designer drug with psychedelic effects. It was first synthesised in the 1990s, and was first identified as a new psychoactive substance in Finland in 2007. It is specifically listed as an illegal drug in Finland, and controlled under analogue provisions in a number of other jurisdictions.

Synthetic drugs refer to substances that are artificially modified from naturally-occurring drugs and are capable of exhibiting both therapeutic and psychoactive effects.

References

  1. 1 2 Bücheli, Alexander; the Trans-European Drug Information project (2013). Drug Checking Consultation and Counselling Guidelines (PDF). Barcelona: Nightlife Empowerment & Wellbeing Implementation Project.
  2. ↑ Caldicott, David (22 February 2017). "Yes, we can do on-the-spot drug testing quickly and safely". The Conversation. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  3. ↑ Trans European Drugs Information (TEDI) workgroup (2011). Factsheet on Drug Checking in Europe (PDF). Brussels: Nightlife, Empowerment & Well-being Implementation Project.
  4. ↑ Zaami, S (2019-11-01). "New psychoactive substances: concerted efforts and common legislative answers for stemming a growing health hazard". European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences. 23 (22): 9681–9690. doi:10.26355/eurrev_201911_19529. ISSN   2284-0729. PMID   31799633. S2CID   208621146.
  5. ↑ Oomen, Pieter E.; Schori, Dominique; Tögel-Lins, Karsten; Acreman, Dean; Chenorhokian, Sevag; Luf, Anton; Karden, Alexandra; Paulos, Carlos; Fornero, Elisa; Gerace, Enrico; Koning, Raoul P. J.; Galindo, Liliana; Smit-Rigter, Laura A.; Measham, Fiona; Ventura, Mireia (2022-02-01). "Cannabis adulterated with the synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist MDMB-4en-PINACA and the role of European drug checking services". International Journal of Drug Policy. 100: 103493. doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103493. ISSN   0955-3959. PMID   34687992. S2CID   239482166.
  6. 1 2 The Trans-European Drug Information project (2022). "About us – TEDI". tedinetwork.org. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  7. ↑ Brunt, Tibor M.; Nagy, Constanze; Bücheli, Alexander; Martins, Daniel; Ugarte, Miren; Beduwe, Cécile; Ventura Vilamala, Mireia (2017). "Drug testing in Europe: monitoring results of the Trans European Drug Information (TEDI) project". Drug Testing and Analysis. 9 (2): 188–198. doi:10.1002/dta.1954. PMID   26888408.
  8. ↑ The Trans-European Drug Information project (2022-03-31). "Story map: "Fieldwork drug checking services from 13 different European countries"". ArcGIS StoryMaps. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  9. ↑ European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (2019-10-22). "International symposium on drug checking". emcdda.europa.eu. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  10. ↑ European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (2021-12-08). "EMCDDA-TEDI network meeting of European drug checking services | www.emcdda.europa.eu". www.emcdda.europa.eu. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  11. ↑ "TripApp - Apps on Google Play". play.google.com. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  12. ↑ Lekhtman, Alexander (2019-12-31). "The 'TripApp' Helps You Make Safer Choices About Your Drug Use". FilterMag. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  13. ↑ Pompidou Group, Newsroom (2021). "European Drug Prevention Prize: winning projects from Belgium, Poland and Lithuania". Council of Europe .
  14. ↑ "Guidelines". TEDI project. 2015.
  15. ↑ Creixell, Maria (2022-03-31). "The European network of drug checking services TEDI is launching a website to share information on the drug markets". ABD. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.