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European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

The ADRU is the designated Irish Focal Point for the European Information Network on Drugs and Drug Addiction, co-ordinated by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).

The EMCDDA is the central reference point for drug information in the European Union. Set up in 1993, and based in Lisbon, its role is to provide the EU and its Member States with objective, reliable and comparable information on drugs and drug addiction.

The ADRU works closely with the EMCDDA, with other Focal Points, and with national partners in an attempt to standardise data collection in the EU. By standardising data, valid comparisons can be made about current patterns and emerging trends in drug use in Europe.

The ADRU's Focal Point role includes:

  • Writing an annual national report on the drug situation in Ireland for the EMCDDA
  • Contributing projects to the EDDRA (Exchange on Drug Demand Reduction Action) database. Click here to access the EMCDDA's EDDRA database.
  • Developing the existing five epidemiological key-indicators of drug misuse with a view to improving national data sources and increasing the comparability of Irish and EU data.

EMCDDA Best practice portal

The EMCDDA has developed a Best practice portal, a resource for professionals, policymakers and researchers in the areas of drug-related prevention, treatment, harm reduction and social reintegration.

The portal concentrates on illicit drugs and polydrug use and has a clear European focus. Its main aim is to provide tools and standards to improve the quality of interventions and highlight examples of best practice across Europe. You can access the Best practice portal here