Developing drug supply monitoring in Europe : current concepts

Recently, there has been an increased focus on improving the quality of drug supply data at EU level, underpinned by a number of policy developments, notably the Council of the European Union's conclusions of 15 November 2013 regarding supply and supply reduction within the implementation of the EU Drug Action Plan (2013-16). Mindful of the uncertainties and challenges of measuring an increasingly dynamic illicit drug market, while building on the positive work in the EU Member States, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has been a driving force for improving supply metrics and indicators. This paper presents a snapshot of the evolution of the EMCDDA's conceptual framework for supply monitoring. It describes a dynamic system based upon three linked thematic areas: drug markets, drivers and facilitators; drug-related crime, harms and other consequences; and reduction of and responses to drug supply. Each area is served by a set of (overlapping) indicators. The framework was developed to logically organise the multifaceted aspects of illicit drug markets and supply, going beyond the EMCDDA's current core monitoring by integrating new data sources and novel measurement methodologies. The present work contributes to the concerted effort in the EU to establish a coherent drug supply monitoring framework, including identifying new sources of information. While work to further enhance the existing supply indicators should remain a priority, baselines should also be established in new priority areas to allow enhanced monitoring of the supply side of the drugs phenomenon, thus providing a balanced set of drug policy tools.