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Brexit will affect the UK's ability to tackle illicit drugs trade, warn experts

Exclusion from key EU agency 'presents substantial risks to public health and safety'

Date:
September 26, 2018
Source:
BMJ
Summary:
Exclusion from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) because of Brexit will have serious consequences for public health in the UK, warn experts.
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FULL STORY

Exclusion from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) because of Brexit will have serious consequences for public health in the UK, warn experts in a letter to The BMJ this week.

The EMCDDA is responsible for conducting surveillance, establishing best practice, facilitating data exchange, providing leadership on new psychoactive substances, and assisting policy makers, they explain.

The intelligence assembled by the EMCDDA and Europol "has been crucial in the UK's response to organised crime and illicit trade in drugs," they add.

They argue that the challenges of Brexit arrive when the UK relies most heavily on the EMCDDA to tackle the trade of illicit substances, especially involving organised crime, the consequences of which are seen on the streets and in emergency departments every week.

They believe that failure to ensure continued cooperation with the EMCDDA after Brexit "presents substantial risks to public health and safety."

As such, they call on the government to take "all necessary action" to enable health professionals to continue participating in surveillance systems, respond appropriately to emerging threats, and support policy and operational responses.

"Ministers have committed to ensuring that Brexit will not undermine public health. This is an opportunity to show that commitment," they conclude.


Story Source:

Materials provided by BMJ. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Andres Roman-Urrestarazu, Roy Robertson, Justin Yang, Alison McCallum, Christina Gray, Martin McKee, John Middleton. European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction has a vital role in the UK’s ability to respond to illicit drugs and organised crime. BMJ, 2018; k4003 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.k4003

Cite This Page:

BMJ. "Brexit will affect the UK's ability to tackle illicit drugs trade, warn experts." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 26 September 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180926192058.htm>.
BMJ. (2018, September 26). Brexit will affect the UK's ability to tackle illicit drugs trade, warn experts. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 29, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180926192058.htm
BMJ. "Brexit will affect the UK's ability to tackle illicit drugs trade, warn experts." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180926192058.htm (accessed March 29, 2024).

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