BULGARIA New Development, Trends and In-Depth Information on Selected Issues
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Focal Point Logo 2013 NATIONAL REPORT (2012 data) TO THE EMCDDA by the Reitox National Focal Point BULGARIA New Development, Trends and in-depth information on selected issues REITOX Part A: New Developments and Trends 1. Drug policy: legislation, strategies and economic analysis 2. Drug use in the general population and specific targeted-groups 3. Prevention 4. Problem Drug Use 5. Drug-related treatment: treatment demand and treatment availability 6. Health correlates and consequences 7. Responses to Health Correlates and Consequences 8. Social correlates and social reintegration 9. Drug-related crime, prevention of drug related crime and prison 10. Drug Markets 2 1. Drug policy: legislation, strategies and economic analysis Within the framework of this section the following main topics will be reviewed: Legislative framework; National action plan, strategy, evaluation and coordination; Economic analysis; Legislative framework Acts, regulations, directives or guidelines in the sphere of drug addictions and drugs (supply and demand) In 2012 a total of nine amendments of the legislative regulation of the Republic of Bulgaria were adopted, including the adoption of two regulations and of seven amendments of the acts and legal regulations in the sphere of addictions. 1. On 20.06.2012 Regulation № 2 was adopted of the terms and conditions of implementing programmes for treatment with agonists and agonist-antagonists of individuals dependent on opioids. 1 By virtue of this regulation the following items are laid down: The terms and conditions for issuing an authorization for the implementation of programmes for treatment with agonists and agonist-antagonists of individuals dependent on opioids. The requirements for the individuals who can lead programmes and the requirements for the healthcare facilities where the programmes can be implemented. The medical products containing agonists and agonist-antagonists which may be used in the programmes, and which are described in Annex № 1. In Annex № 1 medical products are included containing opiate agonists and agonist- antagonists, which according to their short characteristic, are used for the treatment of dependence on opioids. In Annex № 1 of the regulation the medical product Buprenorphine is included, for which there has been a marketing authorization in the country since 2008. The option for the Ministry of Health to provide solely the medical product Methadone funded by the republican budget under the terms of Regulation № 34/2005 on the terms of payment from the republican budget for the treatment of Bulgarian citizens for diseases not included in the mandatory health insurance and to provide it to the healthcare facilities which have been granted a permission for implementing the programmes, pursuant to Art. 16, Para. 1 of the Regulation. 1 Regulation № 2 on the terms and conditions of implementing programmes for treatment with agonists and agonist-antagonists of individuals dependent on opioids of the Narcotic Substances and Precursors Control Act (NSPCA) (promulgated in the SG, issue 49 of 29.06.2012) 3 The compliance of the activity implemented with Regulation № 24 of 2004 on the ratification of “Psychiatry” medical standard. The requirements for the storing of the medical products containing opiate agonists and agonist-antagonists, the book-keeping of the medical products containing opiate agonists and agonist-antagonists used in the programmes. The control of observing the requirements of the Regulation is maintained by the Ministry of Health, by the National Centre for Addictions and by the inspectors on narcotic substances from the Regional Health Inspections (RHI). Pursuant to Art. 10 of the Regulation, the programmes for the treatment with opiate agonists and agonist-antagonists implement their activity in accordance with Regulation № 24 of 2004 for the ratification of “Psychiatry” medical standard. Regulation № 2/2012 revokes Regulation № 24/2000 on the terms and conditions for implementing substitution and maintenance programmes for harm reduction concerning drug dependent individuals. On grounds of § 1, Para. 1 of Regulation № 2/2012 the healthcare facilities, which have been granted authorization to implement substitution and maintenance programmes pursuant to Regulation № 24/2000 on the terms and conditions of implementing substitution and maintenance programmes for harm reduction of individuals dependent on narcotic substances are brought in compliance with the requirements of Regulation № 2/2012 and submit papers for the renewal of the authorization they have. 2. Again on 20.06.2012 Regulation amending Regulation № 24 of 2004 was adopted for the ratification of “Psychiatry” medical standard, section 7 - ”Addiction treatment” 2. Under this amendment the rules for the “Treatment of the opioid addiction syndrome by opiate agonists and agonist-antagonists” are regularized. The decrees of this regulation have been synchronized by Regulation № 2. 3. A project to amend the Tariff of Taxes collected for the issuing, amendment or renewal of authorizations, permits and certificates for registration under the Narcotic Substances and Precursors Control Act (NSPCA). 4. A project to amend Regulation № 21/2000 on the requirements for the documents and the accounting when implementing activities with narcotic substances and their preparations was also prepared; 5. A project was also prepared to amend Regulation № 55/2012 on the terms and conditions of issuing licenses for activities with narcotic substances for medical purposes included in Annex № 2 and Annex № 3 of the NSPCA; 6. A project was also prepared to amend Regulation № 3/2001 on the destruction of legally produced, acquired and stored narcotic substances and medical products containing narcotic substances; 7. A project was also prepared to amend Regulation № 7/2001 on the terms and conditions of issuing authorizations for import and export of narcotic substances and their preparations; 2 Regulation to amend Regulation № 24 of the NSPCA (Promulgated in the SG issue 49 of 29.06.2012) 4 8. A project was also prepared to amend Regulation № 20/2001 on the terms and conditions under which the medical products, containing narcotic substances, may be exempt from some control measures; 9. A project was also prepared to amend Regulation № 28/2001 on the terms and conditions under which some healthcare facilities with no pharmacy may purchase, store and allot narcotic substances. 3 Law enforcement The Ministry of Interior (MoI) implements activities meant to protect the civil rights, the national security and the public order. Prevention is among the leading functions and one of the most important ones through which the main tasks of the ministry are implemented. The bodies of the MoI implement general and individual prevention activity, prevent and stop crime and other legal offences, by systematically analyzing the crime-generating factors, by notifying the state bodies, organizations and legal entities about conditions for crime found. On the data of the Ministry of Interior the following actions were undertaken in 2012 for the “Drugs” section: 4 The Regional Directorates of the MoI (RDMoI) have responded to 2020 notifications about drug-related offences. The greatest number of notifications responded to were at the Metropolitan Directorate of the MoI (MDMoI) – (364), RDMoI Plovdiv - (163), RDMoI Blagoevgrad - (149) and RDMoI Veliko Turnovo- (128). 452 operative lawsuits were heard – the greatest number was at the MDMoI (55), RDMoI Burgas (52), RDMoI Plovdiv (45), RDMoI Pleven (23). In 2012 in the country 4,713 individuals were detained for the production of drugs and for drug-dealing. 2,106 of them were detained by the MDMoI, then come RDMoI Plpovdiv, (275), RDMoI Varna (208) and RDMoI Stara Zagora (193). Here it has to be emphasized that the tendency of the last years holds of increasing the number of the individuals detained. In 2012 in the country a total of 2,868 specialized police operations (SPO) were carried out – the greatest number was by the MDMoI (671), RDMoI Varna (208), RDMoI - Sofia (205) and RDMoI Stara Zagora (193). In 2012 a total of 5,179 gathering places for drug use, pubs and recreational establishments were checked- the greatest number by RDMoI Smolyan (679), RDMoI Sofia (462) RDMoI Veliko Turnovo (418) and the MDMoI (415). Here we have to mention again that in comparison to the preceding years an increase of the places checked is observed. 3 Information: Annual Report of the National Council on Narcotic Substances for 2012 4 Report on the work of the bodies of the RD of the MoI of the “Drugs” unit for the period 01.01.2012 - 31.12.2012 5 The number of the school regions checked is 3,936 – the greatest number by RDMoI Smolyan (449), RDMoI Sofia (342), RDMoI Pleven (252) and the MDMoI (295), and the smallest number of school regions checked was by RDMoI Lovech (8) National action plan, strategy, evaluation and coordination National action plan and/or strategy At the third regular session for 2012 of the National Council on Narcotic Substances (NCNS) a report was presented and approved on the implementation of the tasks of the Action Plan of the National Strategy to Combat Drugs for 2011. In the report the degree of implementing the tasks and of achieving the goals evolving from the National Strategy are given. In the sphere of prevention progress has been achieved of the implementation of the activities related to the development of health education at school. The municipal councils on drugs