France - May 2016. The OFDT (Observatoire Français des Drogues et des Toxicomanies) published results of a survey of NPS users, conducted online in 2014 in France, the Netherlands, Poland, and Czech Republic as part of the I-TREND3 project, co-funded by the European Commission. Despite the common limitations of such surveys, the study provided information on both the user profiles and their approaches to NPS use. The main findings are listed below:

• most NPS users declare to also have used established/illicit drugs;
• NPS users are mainly young, male, educated urban citizens;
• consumption occurs mainly in private space, but also in festive areas;
• consumption of only synthetic cannabinoids in substitution of cannabis does not seem substantial;
• most NPS users seek “modification of perception”, while “feeling stoned” is cited as second, and social insertion as third motive of use;
• most users have a preference for hallucinogenic or stimulant effects of NPS;
• most users are not concerned whether a substance is listed as a controlled drug, or can be detected by existing urinary or salivary tests;
• NPS are distributed not only through internet, but also beyond;
• NPS users obtain information through specialized internet forums, their circle of acquaintances, or media;
• most respondents demonstrate risk awareness: they are concerned about the dangers, express a need to obtain information, and tend to assess NPS substance by substance rather than as a whole.

For more information please see:
http://www.ofdt.fr/BDD/publications/docs/eftxacw4.pdf (French)