The National Rapid Alert System for Drugs (NEWS-D), established in 2009 by the DPA (Anti-Drug Policies Department) and operationally managed with the ISS (Istituto Superiore della Sanità) is able to promptly identify drug abusers throughout the national territory. potentially dangerous phenomena for public health related to the appearance of new psychoactive substances and new ways of consuming classic narcotic substances.
The NEWS-D can send alert signals to the structures responsible for health protection and to the police forces, allowing the necessary political-health measures in response to emergencies and to combat traffic.
The alert was issued “so that the territorial monitoring network is strengthened and attention is increased in all potentially exposed sectors”.
The System has issued an alert for the presence of Fentanyl found, through checks carried out by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, as a cutting substance in a dose of heroin seized a few weeks ago.
It is the first time that this has occurred in Italy. In collaboration with Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano, the national prevention plan against the improper use of Fentanyl was therefore activated which provides for the sending of an alert to all police forces and all administrations.
Subsequently it was learned that it was a random check carried out on a user of the Terni Sert that revealed the presence of Fentanyl in a dose of heroin. And it is on the basis of this episode that the National Rapid Alert System for Drugs – coordinated by the Department for Anti-Drug Policies – issued an alert for the presence of the synthetic opioid.
