Brussels, 16/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 16 June, the European Commission announced a press release that it is to ban four new psychoactive substances, MDPV, 25I-NBOMe, AH-7921 and methoxetamin. The draft regulation asks member states to ban the manufacture and sale of these medicines and to make their use a crime across the EU, with each member state deciding on its own penalties.
25I-NBOMe, a medicine, is taken as a “legal high” and has been found in 23 member states and Norway. Three deaths have been reported in connection with the drug according to the European Drug and Drug Addiction Monitoring Centre. AH-7921 is a synthetic opiate that has been found in seven member states and Norway. Over a short period of time, it has been associated with six non-mortal intoxications and 15 deaths in three countries. AH-7921 is similar to morphine.
MDPV is a stimulant drug related to synthetic cathinone derivatives and has been detected in 99 deaths. Methoxetamin is a ketamin derivative that has been found in 22 member states. Twenty deaths have been connected with the substance, according to a risk assessment earlier this year by the European Drug and Drug Addiction Monitoring Centre's scientific committee. (SP)