This paper addresses the question of whether Europe is facing an opioid epidemic and utilises data from the European monitoring system on opioid use, harms and availability, to help assess the situation. Data sources covering the last decade on overdose deaths, drug treatment entrants and drug-related emergencies suggest that the health burden associated with opioid use is mostly related to the consumption of heroin - and to a lesser extent diverted opioid substitution treatment medications - and that it is primarily affecting an ageing cohort of vulnerable users, with little evidence of an increase in initiation. While opioid-related deaths are currently at much lower levels than in the US, they still represent a large preventable health burden with differences across EU countries. There is also increasing concern related to the high availability of heroin, illicitly produced synthetic opioids and diverted opioid pain medications on the European drugs market. Trends in the latter categories are poorly monitored and we may miss signs of emerging problems. Moreover, the economic recession following the COVID-19 pandemic has a potential to lead to resurgence in opioid use and harms.

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欧洲是否面临阿片类药物流行：欧洲监测数据告诉我们什么？

本文解决了欧洲是否面临阿片类药物流行的问题，并利用欧洲监测系统关于阿片类药物使用、危害和可用性的数据来​​帮助评估这种情况。过去十年关于过量死亡、药物治疗进入者和与毒品有关的紧急情况的数据来源表明，与阿片类药物使用相关的健康负担主要与海洛因的消费有关 - 在较小程度上与转移的阿片类药物替代治疗药物有关 - 而且它主要影响的是脆弱用户的老龄化群体，几乎没有证据表明使用率有所增加。虽然目前与阿片类药物相关的死亡人数远低于美国，但它们仍然是一个巨大的可预防的健康负担，而且欧盟国家之间存在差异。欧洲毒品市场上海洛因、非法生产的合成阿片类药物和转移的阿片类止痛药的大量供应也越来越令人担忧。后一类的趋势监测不足，我们可能会错过新出现问题的迹象。此外，COVID-19 大流行后的经济衰退有可能导致阿片类药物的使用和危害卷土重来。