Lecture
The current opioid situation in Europe: Challenges for society and forensic science
- at -
- ICM Saal 5
- Type: Lecture
Lecture description
Opioids have been deeply embedded in human culture for centuries, used both for medicine and intoxication. However, the illegal drug market has long evolved beyond the original substance, opium. Even heroin, once the dominant illegal opioid, now faces competition from potent synthetic analogues such as fentanyl, nitazene, and orphine derivatives. How widespread are these substances in Europe and Germany today?
In the United States, the opioid crisis has caused devastating harm across all social classes for more than two decades. While media reports warn that a similar development could affect Europe or Germany, it remains uncertain whether such a crisis is already taking shape here.
Meanwhile, the balance of power in global opioid production is shifting rapidly, and the coming years will likely bring further change. Beyond social implications, these new synthetic opioids present significant analytical challenges, requiring advanced techniques for their reliable detection and identification. Their extreme potency also heightens occupational safety risks, both during forensic analysis and for law enforcement officers handling the material, as well as severe health risks for consumers exposed to even minimal doses.
In my presentation, I will explore this question within a broader context and provide a short overview of current international opioid dynamics. Building on the developments described above, I will examine how the emergence of new synthetic opioids has transformed the illegal market, altered patterns of use, and intensified both analytical and safety challenges.
In the United States, the opioid crisis has caused devastating harm across all social classes for more than two decades. While media reports warn that a similar development could affect Europe or Germany, it remains uncertain whether such a crisis is already taking shape here.
Meanwhile, the balance of power in global opioid production is shifting rapidly, and the coming years will likely bring further change. Beyond social implications, these new synthetic opioids present significant analytical challenges, requiring advanced techniques for their reliable detection and identification. Their extreme potency also heightens occupational safety risks, both during forensic analysis and for law enforcement officers handling the material, as well as severe health risks for consumers exposed to even minimal doses.
In my presentation, I will explore this question within a broader context and provide a short overview of current international opioid dynamics. Building on the developments described above, I will examine how the emergence of new synthetic opioids has transformed the illegal market, altered patterns of use, and intensified both analytical and safety challenges.
