Multilingual glossary of drug-related terms
Started in 2010, the EMCDDA glossary project is a multi-partner activity involving close collaboration with the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union in Luxembourg and the network of focal points in the Reitox network. Its aim is to support the consistent use of terminology in our reports and outputs across language versions. Read more in the background section below.
Interactive multilingual tool
Below you can use IATE to find EMCDDA terms and definitions. You can search into and out of any of the available languages.
Background
Initially available in all of the EU official languages, plus Norwegian and Turkish, we have recently added Arabic, Georgian and Russian translations of terms and definitions, to support our international cooperation activities.
At the end of 2023, after five phases of term collection and translations, the glossary will count around 200 terms and definitions. These have been added to IATE (Interactive Terminology for Europe), the EU's terminology management system. IATE has been used in the EU institutions and agencies since 2004 for the collection, dissemination and management of EU-specific terminology. The project was launched in 1999 with the aim of providing a web-based infrastructure for all EU terminology resources, enhancing the availability and standardisation of the information. It is free to use for everyone.
Currently available terms
Below you can find a list (in English) of all terms currently available in the glossary. More terms are being added all the time. Note, that the list below only shows terms in English — please use the interactive tool above to search in other languages, as well as to find translations.
| Term | Definition (where available) |
|---|---|
| Action Plan | scheme or programme that identifies the detailed actions necessary to implement a strategy, along with timings and responsible parties |
| addiction | disorder in which an individual’s control over their drug use/behaviour is impaired. |
| addiction treatment | |
| age of first use | age at which a drug is used for the first time |
| alternative to imprisonment / alternative to prison | alternative option to incarceration given to a drug-using offender at some stage in the criminal justice process. This may often be an offer of treatment. |
| annual reporting cycle | those countries providing data on a measure. |
| anonymous marketplace | digital platform that uses specific software and cryptocurrencies to facilitate anonymous peer-to-peer trade of goods (including illicit drugs and new psychoactive substances) and services |
| balanced approach | comprehensive approach to drug policy, incorporating both demand and supply reduction activities. The principle of a balanced approach was endorsed in the political declaration of UNGASS in 1998: ‘there shall be a balanced approach between demand reduction and supply reduction, each reinforcing the other, in an integrated approach to solving the drug problem’ |
| best practice | interventions that are supposed to lead to desired outcomes and that can be adapted to improve effectiveness, efficiency and/or innovativeness in another situation |
| best practice portal | EMCDDA resource providing information and examples, quality standards and guidelines on drug-related prevention, treatment, harm reduction and social reintegration in the European context |
| binge drinking | episodic drinking consuming large volumes of alcohol |
| blood-borne infection | infection transmitted by way of direct blood contact from one individual to another from injured skin or a mucous membrane. Can also be transmitted through injecting drug use, the reuse of needles or syringes or needle-stick injury and through sexual contact. Worldwide, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and HIV are blood-borne pathogens of primary concern |
| blood-borne virus | viral blood borne diseases, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV; the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) are the focus of scrutiny in blood donors and in the setting of a hospital. Exposure to the blood from an infected person or the sharing of needles among intravenous drug users can transmit these viruses from person to person |
| brief intervention | short-term or one-off practice that aims to help individuals identify a real or potential problem arising from a risky behavior and motivate them to change it |
| cannabis resin / charas / hashish | compressed solid made from the separated resin, whether crude or purified, obtained from the cannabis plant. |
| carrier material | material into which a drug is incorporated for smuggling and from which it has to be extracted afterwards |
| case management | collaborative process that assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors, and evaluates the options and services required to meet the client's health and human service needs |
| chemsex | term commonly used to describe sex that occurs under the influence of drugs, which are taken immediately preceding and/or during the sexual session |
| client | person with drug problems who is receiving assistance from social, medical or other support services as part of drug treatment |
| comorbidity | simultaneous existence of a substance use disorder and an additional psychiatric disorder. |
| concurrent use | separate use of two or more substances within the same period of time, e.g. the past year |
| contingency management | type of treatment used in the mental health or substance use fields. Clients’ behaviours are rewarded (or, less often, punished) in line with treatment objectives (Griffith et al., 2000). Clients can be, for example, rewarded with vouchers that can be exchanged for retail items (Vocci and Montoya, 2009) |
| continuity of care | provision of care services that are coordinated across settings and providers |
| controlled drug | drug that is listed in the international drug control conventions or controlled at national level |
| craving | strong psychological urge to use a psychoactive substance following discontinuation or reduction of use |
| criminal organisation / organised criminal group (OCG) | group of three or more persons acting together over a period of time with the aim of undertaking criminal activities for financial or material gain |
| crystal form | crystalline state of a drug, in solid blocks or crystals, which can be broken, ground or heated before consumption |
| cutting agent | substance intentionally added to drugs to increase their physical volume. They may be inert or pharmacologically active |
| dark market / darknet market / cryptomarket | online forum where goods and services, including the sale of drugs, are exchanged between parties who use digital encryption to conceal their identities |
| dark web | anonymising computer networks which allow for the hosting of services within them. Unlike the deep web, these services do not exist on the conventional worldwide web and require a user to download software to access them, such as The Onion Router (TOR) |
| decriminalisation / depenalisation | removal of a conduct or activity from the sphere of criminal law, meaning that the act no longer constitutes a criminal offence. It remains a punishable offence, but with non-criminal status (for example, comparable to a parking offence) |
| demand reduction | activities within health, social, educational and criminal justice systems aimed at preventing drug use, assisting and treating users, reducing harmful consequences of use and promoting the (re)integration of (former) users. |
| depenalisation | relaxation of the penal sanction provided for by law. In the case of drugs, and cannabis in particular, depenalisation usually means the elimination of custodial penalties, even if other penal sanctions may be retained (fines, establishment of a police record, etc). |
| detoxification | medically-supervised intervention to resolve withdrawal symptoms. |
| disease outbreak | excess of disease cases compared to what would be normally expected in a population |
| diversion of medicines | intentional transfer of medicines from their intended medical/legitimate use to misuse or sale on illicit markets |
| drug addiction | addiction based on consumption of a (psychotropic) substance. |
| drug checking n/ pill testing service | service offered to individual drug users to have their synthetic drugs (tablets or powders) chemically analysed or checked |
| drug consumption facility / supervised drug consumption facility / drug consumption room | place where confirmed drug users are allowed to consume their drugs in a professionally supervised setting providing hygienic conditions and without fear of arrest. |
| drug court | specialised court that deals with criminal offenders who are usually problematic drug users |
| drug dependence | a cluster of cognitive, behavioural and physiological symptoms that indicate that a person has impaired control of psychoactive substance use and continues use of the substance despite adverse consequences. |
| drug driving | driving a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs or other substances having a similar effect, as defined in the law of the Member State of the offence |
| drug epidemiology | general term used to describe methods and approaches used to assess or measure drug problems within the general or specific populations. Most of these approaches are adapted from, or built upon, methods used in the epidemiology of physical or mental disorders |
| drug law offence | offence in breach of the laws that exist in a country concerning the possession, supply or trafficking of drugs. |
| drug seizure | any quantity of illicit drugs seized or found from a known or unknown source. |
| drug service | specialist facility, agency, department or unit in a larger organisation where drug users can receive health or social support related to their drug use |
| drug strategy | focused approach aimed at reducing the harmful effects of licit and illicit drugs in society, and their supply and demand and associated crime, generally set out in a time-bound document containing objectives and priorities, alongside broad supporting actions |
| drug treatment | an activity that directly targets individuals who have problems with their drug use and which aims to improve the psychological, physical or social state of those who seek help for their drug problem. |
| drug-free treatment | treatment using a range of psychosocial or psychotherapeutic approaches but no pharmacological interventions to target drug use. Usually used to refer to treatment for opiate addiction when not using substitution treatment. (see also psychosocial treatment) |
| drug-induced death | death happening shortly after consumption of one or more illicit psychoactive drugs (often in combination with alcohol or psychoactive medicines), and directly related to this consumption. These deaths are also referred to (or known) as drug overdoses or poisonings. |
| drug-related deaths (DRD) | death occurring shortly after consumption of one or more psychoactive drugs and directly related to, or associated with, this consumption |
| drug-related harms | negative short-term and long-term health and social consequences associated with drug use, which may include dependence, blood-borne viral infections, drug poisoning and overdose, drug-related mortality, and crime and other social problems |
| drug-related public expenditure | public spending which aims to tackle the drugs problem |
| drug-related public nuisance | public nuisance that spans a set of behaviours (e.g. drug taking, being intoxicated), situations (e.g. congregating, loitering, intimidating others), and actions (e.g. robbery, organised begging) |
| drug-treatment client | person undergoing drug treatment. In this context, client is the equivalent of ‘patient’ in a non-medical setting. |
| drugs policy | governing administration's policy on drug misuse, focused on dealing with the health issues for individuals and society resulting from such misuse and on effecting a reduction in the demand and supply of illegal drugs |
| dumping site | place where waste from drug production is discarded |
| early intervention | intervene with persons who are in the early stages of their drug use. |
| employability | combination of factors which enable individuals to progress towards or get into employment, to stay in employment and to progress during their careers |
| environmental strategy | interventions which try to impact on drug use by changing the setting within which the drug is used. |
| ESPAD | collaborative effort of independent research teams and the largest cross-national research project on adolescent substance use in the world with the aim of repeatedly collecting comparable data on substance use among 15-16 year old students in as many European countries as possible |
| EU Early Warning System on new psychoactive substances | multidisciplinary network of 30 national early warning mechanisms which collect, appraise and rapidly disseminate information on new drugs and products that contain them. It is implemented by the EMCDDA, in cooperation with Europol, the EMA and the European Commission. The EU EWS works by collecting information on the appearance of new substances, and then monitoring them for signals of harm, allowing the EU to respond rapidly to emerging threats. |
| European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs | collaborative effort of independent research teams and the largest cross-national research project on adolescent substance use in the world with the aim of repeatedly collecting comparable data on substance use among 15-16 year old students in as many European countries as possible |
| evidence-based approach | concept imported from the medical field, defined as ’the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients’ (Sackett, 1996). When applied to drug demand reduction, this refers to the use of scientific results to inform interventions decisions |
| fatal intoxication | poisoning from drugs, psychoactive substances, prescription and/or over the counter medicines, resulting in death |
| first treatment | the very first time during his or her life that a person starts treatment for drug problems. |
| forensic intelligence | structured assimilation of forensic data (i.e. evidence such as DNA, fingerprint, ballistics, and trace evidence) recovered at crime scenes which may be subjected to rigorous qualitative and quantitative analysis to identify meaningful patterns of criminal enterprise |
| forensic profiling | exploitation of trace evidence taken from criminal or litigious activities in order to draw up profiles to support various security tasks, mostly in the criminal justice system |
| forensic science | science and technology which investigates and establishes facts in criminal or civil courts of law. For EMCDDA, usually used in relation to laboratory testing of seized drugs. |
| formative assessment / formative evaluation | assessment which is designed to provide feedback to the learner in order that they may improve their performance |
| free base | cocaine that has been converted from its chemical salt to its base form, usually by heating with ether or boiling with sodium bicarbonate, and taken by inhaling the fumes or smoking the residue (similar to crack cocaine) |
| gateway drug | illicit or licit drug, use of which is regarded as reducing barriers to the use of another drug, usually one viewed as more problematic. |
| general population survey | a survey that provides a representational measurement of behaviour within the general (usually adult) population. |
| harm / damage | loss or detriment caused by hurt or injury affecting estate, condition, or circumstances. |
| harm reduction | interventions, programmes and policies that seek to reduce the health, social and economic harms of drug use to individuals, communities and societies. |
| headshop | shop which sells drug paraphernalia, such as pipes. |
| herbal cannabis | the dried flowering tops and leaves of the cannabis sativa plant |
| high-risk drug use | general term used to cover recurrent drug use that is causing actual harm (including dependence, health, psychological or social problems), or is placing the individual at an elevated risk of suffering such harm |
| HIV transmission | infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that can occur through sexual intercourse, blood transfusion or the sharing of intravenous needles, skin piercing instruments or from mother to child |
| hospital emergency presentation | visiting or being delivered to a hospital emergency department as a patient for treatment or observation |
| IBDT | drug treatment interventions, offered on and communicated over the Internet |
| impact evaluation | assessment of how the intervention being evaluated affects outcomes and whether these effects are intended or unintended |
| in-patient treatment | treatment in which the patient spends the night in the treatment centre. (see also treatment centre) |
| indicated prevention | a preventive, individualised approach targeted at those at high risk of developing substance abuse or dependence later in life. |
| infectious disease | disease which is caused by pathogenic microorganisms, including, without limitation, bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi, which spread, either directly or indirectly, from one person to another. The term includes a communicable disease |
| injecting risk behaviour | behaviour associated with the injecting of drugs, including the sharing of needles, syringes and other injecting equipment, which increases the likelihood of negative health consequences, including contracting infectious diseases |
| injection drug user (IDU) / people who inject drugs (PWID) | person who uses a drug (e.g. heroin, cocaine) that is administered with a needle and syringe |
| intensive use | drug use which is regarded as regular or high dose or both, usually used to contrast with patterns of drug use that are less intensive or explicitly defined by a behavioural measure |
| intensive user | individual whose drug use is regular or high dose or both. Usually used in contrast to less intensive patterns of use or explicitly defined by a behavioural measure |
| internet monitoring | systematic process of monitoring the online market in new psychoactive substances that are commonly sold as ‘legal highs’ or ‘research chemicals’. More generally, it may also apply to monitoring other online information on drug use |
| Internet-based drug treatment | drug treatment interventions, offered on and communicated over the Internet |
| internet-based treatment | drug treatment intervention that is delivered wholly or in large part by the use of online (Internet) based tools |
| intoxication | condition that follows the consumption of a psychoactive substance and results in disturbances in consciousness, cognition, perception, judgement, behaviour or other psychophysiological functions and responses |
| intravenous drug user | person who injects drugs into one of their own veins (currently referred to as ‘people who inject drugs’ or PWID) |
| last month prevalence | percentage of individuals in a population who have consumed drugs during the 30 days prior to data collection. |
| last year prevalence | percentage of individuals in a population who have consumed drugs within the year prior to data collection, or in the year specified. |
| legal high | products typically containing new psychoactive substances, usually marketed in bright and attractive packaging and sold openly in head/smart shops and online |
| legalisation | the process of bringing within the control of the law a specified activity that was previously illegal. In relation to drugs, this term is most commonly applied to acts of supply, production, manufacture or sale for non-medical use. |
| lifetime prevalence | percentage of individuals in a population who have consumed drugs at any time during their life. |
| logic model | visualisation of how a policy or intervention is expected to work. It links expected outcomes (both short- and long-term) with programme activities and processes and the theoretical assumptions underpinning them |
| low threshold service | service that has removed traditional barriers to treatment to give their clients easier access. |
| maintenance / substitution treatment | form of medical care offered to opiate addicts using a similar or identical substance to the illicit drug normally used. (see also medically assisted and pharmacological treatment) |
| medical cannabis | generic term, sometimes with different legal meanings in different jurisdictions, referring to the consumption of cannabis, sometimes on prescription, for therapeutic purposes |
| medically assisted treatment | substitution treatment and other pharmacological treatments which target the drug use itself. |
| men who have sex with men (MSM) | males who have sex with other males, regardless of whether or not they have sex with women or have a personal or social identity associated with that behaviour, such as being ‘gay’ or ‘bisexual’ |
| mental disorder / learning disability / mental impairment | any mental or psychological disorder, such as an intellectual disability, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, or specific learning disabilities |
| mental health disorder | condition diagnosed by a mental health professional as a behavioural or mental pattern that affects a person's thought processes, emotions or mood and may affect their ability to relate to others and function socially |
| minimum quality standard | specific minimum requirement necessary to ensure the quality of an intervention |
| misuse of medicines | use of medicines for non-therapeutic purposes or prescription medicines that have not been prescribed to the individual who consumes them |
| morbidity | the number of cases of an illness, injury or condition within a given time |
| motivational interviewing (MI) | collaborative, client-centered counselling style for strengthening a person's own motivation and commitment to change |
| multidimensional family therapy | family systems-oriented outpatient intervention for adolescents and young adults with drug use and behaviour problems |
| naloxone | semi-synthetic competitive opioid antagonist medication used to rapidly reverse opioid overdose |
| nasal insufflation | inhalation of a substance through the nose |
| needle and syringe exchange programme | the provision of sterile syringes and hypodermic needles as well as further injecting paraphernalia to injecting drug users. |
| new psychoactive substance | new narcotic drug or new psychotropic drug in pure form or in a preparation, that has not been scheduled under the 1961 and 1971 United Nations conventions and that may pose a threat to public health comparable to the substances listed therein |
| new synthetic drug | sometimes called 'designer drug’, this is a new narcotic or psychotropic substance produced from chemical precursors in a laboratory, which has been intentionally designed to mimic the properties of known psychoactive substances and has a limited therapeutic value. The substance is not controlled by the 1961 United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs or the 1971 United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, but may pose a public health threat comparable to that posed by substances listed in these conventions. |
| nightlife settings | social settings, such as night clubs, bars and parties, where people congregate for recreational reasons late into the evening or at night |
| non-fatal intoxication | poisoning from any of a wide range of drugs, not resulting in death |
| NPS | new narcotic drug or new psychotropic drug in pure form or in a preparation, that has not been scheduled under the 1961 and 1971 United Nations conventions and that may pose a threat to public health comparable to the substances listed therein |
| open drug scene | meeting point where drugs are sold and places where users gather and meet each othe |
| opiate | group of naturally-occurring psychoactive substances derived from the poppy plant. |
| opioid | generic term applied to alkaloids from the opium poppy, but can also cover opium-derived, semisynthetic and synthetic products in EMCDDA usage. |
| organised crime (OC) | |
| organised crime group | group of three or more persons acting together over a period of time with the aim of undertaking criminal activities for financial or material gain |
| outcome evaluation | evaluation that measures the effects of a programme or project in the target population by assessing the extent to which the expected outcomes have been achieved |
| outpatient treatment | treatment where the patient does not spend the night on the treatment premises. |
| outreach work | specific intervention method where staff proactively contact risk groups in their social environment instead of waiting for them to enter formal services. |
| overdose | ingestion of a psychoactive substance (e.g. opiate, stimulant or hypnotic-sedative drug) in larger amounts than the system has acquired a tolerance to, resulting in unexpected/unwanted effects which may include coma and death from heart failure or respiratory depression. |
| pattern of drug use | non-specific, generic term used to encompass all aspects of drug use. Usually used in relation to a particular group or setting. |
| PDU | problematic drug use as defined for EMCDDA monitoring. Frequent or intravenous use of opiates, cocaine or amphetamines |
| peer-led approach | psychological support that is provided by a person of a background that is similar to the client’s. |
| pharmacologically assisted treatment | treatment of drug dependence by prescription of a substitute drug for which cross-dependence and cross-tolerance exists, with the aim of reducing or eliminating the use of a particular illicit substance. (see also substitution/maintenance/medically assisted treatment) |
| pharmacovigilance (PhV) / drug safety monitoring | constant monitoring of the safety of medicines during clinical trials and after authorisation |
| plant material | material derived from plants |
| plant material | material derived from plants |
| polydrug use | use of more than one drug or type of drug by an individual, used either together (simultaneous polydrug use) or within a short time frame (concurrent polydrug use) |
| polydrug use | use of more than one drug or type of drug by an individual, used either simultaneously or within a limited time frame |
| potency | expression of the activity of a drug, in terms of the concentration or amount needed to produce a defined effect |
| pre-precursor | chemical that may be converted into a scheduled drug precursor [ IATE:878143 ] that is used for the production of synthetic drugs |
| precursor | substance used for the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances, which is therefore at risk of being diverted from its lawful use |
| prevalence | proportion of a population found to have a condition (typically a disease or a risk factor such as smoking or seat-belt use). It is arrived at by comparing the number of people found to have the condition with the total number of people studied, and is usually expressed as a fraction, as a percentage or as the number of cases per 10 000 or 100 000 people |
| primary drug | drug that causes the client the most problems, either as defined by the client or using diagnoses based on appropriate clinical tools (ICD-10, etc.). |
| problem behaviour | socially unacceptable behaviour that can have a negative impact on the individual, his/her friends and family, or wider society. |
| problem drug use | problematic drug use as defined for EMCDDA monitoring. Frequent or intravenous use of opiates, cocaine or amphetamines |
| problematic drug use | pattern of drug use which may cause problems to the user, his/her friends and family or wider society, often accompanied by dependence and negative consequences for the health, social and legal situation of the consumer. |
| production site | generic term used to describe a place where an activity directly related to illicit drug production is performed |
| psychiatric morbidity | presence of a mental health condition, disorder or illness as diagnosed by a mental health professional |
| psychosocial intervention | formal structured psychological and/or social intervention which aims to change behaviour |
| psychosocial treatment | any psychosocial intervention used in the treatment phase, for example cognitive behavioural interventions used with or without pharmacological interventions, to treat drug-related problems |
| quality standard | principles and sets of rules based on evidence used to implement the interventions recommended in guidelines. They can refer to content issues, processes, or to structural aspects |
| recovery | process of change in which an individual suffering from a substance misuse disorder achieves improved health, wellness and quality of life |
| recreational drug | a drug used non-medically for personal enjoyment, pleasure, stimulation, etc.. Often associated with a specific setting. |
| recreational drug use | use of psychoactive drugs in recreational settings or for recreational purposes |
| referral to treatment | action/process of referring or recommending a drug user for specialised treatment |
| rehabilitation | process of medical or psychosocial intervention to support the recovery of a person with a substance use disorder and that person’s subsequent reintegration into society as fully as possible |
| relapse prevention | cognitive-behavioural intervention designed to prevent and manage relapse in individuals who have been or are currently in treatment for drug use |
| reporting | those countries providing data on a measure. |
| reporting country | country providing data on a measure |
| research chemical | in the context of new psychoactive substances: new synthetic psychoactive substances sold openly online under the guise of being used for scientific research |
| residential treatment | treatment programmes which require participants to live in a hostel, home or hospital unit. |
| response to drug use | drug interventions, laws and policies; supply and demand reduction measures. |
| risk assessment | process to assess a (new) substance with respect to its public health and social risks using clearly defined procedures and parameters to consider if this substance warrants placing under international control. |
| risk factor | variable associated with an increased risk of negative consequences (e.g. death or disease) or of future drug use and drug problems. |
| risk reduction | measures to reduce the probability that individuals will adopt lifestyles and patterns that lead to drug consumption and related problems. |
| secondary drug | other drug or drugs used in addition to the primary drug. |
| seized drug | Any quantity of drug seized or found from a known or unknown source. See also Drug seizures definition. |
| selective prevention | prevention strategies targeting subsets of the total population that are deemed to be at risk by virtue of their membership in a particular population segment. |
| serious adverse event | adverse event associated with the consumption of drugs or unregulated psychoactive substances that results in death, is life-threatening, requires emergency treatment and/or hospitalisation or leads to persistent or significant disability or incapacity |
| serious adverse event (SAE) | adverse event that leads to any of the following:death; serious deterioration in the health of the subject, that results in any of the following: life-threatening illness or injury; permanent impairment of a body structure or a body function; in-patient or extending the duration of hospitalisation; medical or surgical intervention to prevent life-threatening illness or injury or permanent impairment to a body structure or a body function; foetal distress, foetal death or a congenital abnormality or birth defect. |
| simultaneous use | co-ingestion of two or more substances at the same time |
| slamming | party that can last several days involving multiple sexual partners, high-risk sexual practices and the association of a cocktail of drugs, usually in the context of injection |
| social costs of illegal drugs | all costs borne by the different sectors of society as a consequence of illicit drug use |
| social influence | process whereby thoughts, feelings and behaviour are influenced either intentionally or unintentionally, by other people |
| social media | forms of electronic communication through which people create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, etc. |
| social rehabilitation | often used as a synonym for ‘resocialisation’ or added to that with a slash. Less used in Europe. For EMCDDA usage, prefer Social reintegration. |
| social reintegration | any social intervention (or range of interventions) with the aim of re-placing former or current problem drug users in the community. |
| social skills | set of skills people use to interact and communicate with one another |
| Spice | herbal mixture, often with the addition of synthetic psychotropic cannabinoids. Brand name: retain English in all language versions. |
| streetname | slang or term for substances and route of admission. These can differ from region to region and change rapidly. |
| supply reduction | to minimize supply and reduce the amount of drugs available on illicit markets via a range of local, national and international measures and mechanisms. Usually involves law enforcement/criminal justice activities. |
| therapeutic community | treatment approach for drug and /or other problems that uses a purposefully designed social environment or residential treatment setting in which the social and group process is harnessed to promote social and psychological change |
| toxicovigilance | active process of detecting, reporting, evaluating, understanding, monitoring, and responding to serious adverse events associated with new psychoactive substances |
| trafficking route | route along which drugs are transported, for instance from the producer and transit countries to the consumer market. May also be used for diverted precursor chemicals |
| treatment centre | any agency – either within medical or non-medical structures – that delivers treatment to people with drug problems. |
| treatment demand indicator | one of the EMCDDA’s key indicators collecting information on treatment of drug users. |
| treatment entrant | clients entering drug treatment for the first time in their lives or for the first time during the calendar year |
| treatment modality | broad category or type of treatment (detoxification, maintenance, psychosocial treatment), which can be provided in either inpatient or outpatient setting |
| treatment outcome | condition of a patient at the end of a therapy |
| universal prevention | strategies addressed to the entire population (drug users and non-users) with messages and programmes aimed at preventing or delaying the onset of illicit drug consumption and abuse. |
| viral hepatitis | inflammation of the liver caused by a few specific viruses that primarily attack the liver. There are several hepatitis viruses; they have been named types A, B, C, D, E, F (not confirmed), and G. The most common hepatitis viruses are types A, B, and C |
| volatile compound | compound that vaporises readily, i.e. that vaporises or transitions from a liquid phase to a gas phase or from solid state to vapour |
| volatile compound | substance with a high vapour pressure and a low boiling point which passes readily from a solid or liquid form to vapour phase |
| volatile substance | substance that vaporises readily, i.e. that vaporises or transitions from a liquid phase to a gas phase or from solid state to vapour |
| vulnerable group | used in the drugs context to refer to a specific group among the wider population with an elevated risk of experiencing problems or exposure to drug use |
| wastewater analysis / sewage epidemiology | |
| weight bin / range | categorisation used for analytical purposes when describing from which level of the market seizures or drug samples are obtained |
| withdrawal symptoms | abnormal physical or psychological features or reactions that follow an abrupt discontinuation of drug use |