European dimension of cannabinoid-like products use

Abstract The use of new psychoactive substances and the new patterns of drug use can have important public health and policy implications. Few countries have monitoring systems that are sensitive to this new phenomenon in the drug field, but methodological difficulties to detect them are considerable. Nonetheless, the importance of identifying potential new threats is widely recognized. The European Union’s Early-Warning System (EWS) provides a quick-response mechanism to the emergence of new psychoactive substances on the drug scene. The European