Credit: C-EHRNEssential Harm Reduction Services in Europe: Report on policy implementation for people who use drugs
In 2024, Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) and its focal points, harm reduction service providers from across Europe, assessed the state of essential harm reduction services in European cities for the fifth time, with as many as 40 cities responding to a survey in 35 countries.
The publication is part of Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network’s Civil Society-led Monitoring of Harm Reduction in Europe 2024 Data Report, launched in 5 volumes: Hepatitis C Care, Essential Harm Reduction Services, New Drug Trends: Insights from Focus Group Discussions, European Drug Checking Trends 2018 – 2024 via TEDI and City Reports (Bratislava, Krakow, Rome, Prague).
Introduction
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), there were globally 292 million people who used drugs in 2024 – a 20% increase compared to a decade earlier. Within this group, there were 64 million people ‘with drug use disorders’ (1) and only 1-in-11 were in treatment. The estimated number of people injecting drugs was 13.9 million (700,000 more than in 2021), and nearly half of them lived with hepatitis C (UNODC, 2024).
Meanwhile, in Europe, an estimated four million adults used cocaine in the previous year (an increase from 3.7 million in 2021); 2.9 million using MDMA (up from 2.3 million in 2021); and 2.3 million using amphetamines (compared to 2 million in 2021). The number of ‘high-risk opioid users’(2) was estimated at 860,000 (a decrease from one million in 2021), and approximately 60% of them received opioid agonist treatment (513,000) (EUDA, 2024c). Cocaine was the second most frequently reported drug among people entering treatment for the first time, with 21% mentioning it (EUDA, 2024a). The European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) also reports stable and high availability of most controlled substances in Europe, increasing availability of ketamine, and the appearance of a new synthetic mixture on the European market, ‘pink cocaine’ (EUDA, 2024b).
The changing trends in drug markets, stable and high availability of a wide range of substances, new emerging challenges, and very low treatment enrolment show clearly that the role of harm reduction is essential in addressing drug-related harms. Harm reduction services play a crucial role in reducing risks associated with drug use. They also help lessen the negative effects of strict drug laws, fight social stigma, and improve the overall well-being of people who use drugs. Given the significance of harm reduction, it is essential to monitor these efforts across Europe. This monitoring helps to understand what is working, identify areas for improvement, and adapt to changing needs. By staying informed, we can better support people who use drugs and enhance safety in our communities.
Access the report here.
EHRC2024: Recordings of the streamed sessions now available online
The 6th European Harm Reduction Conference (EHRC2024) was held in Warsaw, Poland on 2-4 December 2024, organized by the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN).
Thanks to Drugreporter, selected sessions were available to watch via streaming during the conference, and their recordings can now be accessed online. The sessions are also available in a podcast format on Drugreporter’s Apple podcast and Spotify channels.
At EHRC2024, the translation of selected sessions into Ukrainian and Russian was made possible thanks to the support of the Alliance for Public Health and the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA).
The recordings can be accessed here.
Source : C-EHRN
Related HIV and Co-Infections News
-
[Press release] Health GAP: Trump Administration’s inhumane Global Gag Rule expansion and new gender and equity foreign aid restrictions will cost lives
-
CNN: Trump administration is expanding ‘Mexico City’ abortion policy to also ban funding for NGOs that it says promote DEI
-
George House Trust/Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance: Campaign raises awareness of anal cancer in men living with HIV
Get involved
Are you living with HIV/AIDS? Are you part of a community affected by HIV/AIDS and co-infections? Do you work or volunteer in the field? Are you motivated by our cause and interested to support our work?
Subscribe
Stay in the loop and get all the important EATG updates in your inbox with the EATG newsletter. The HIV & co-infections bulletin is your source of handpicked news from the field arriving regularly to your inbox.