The Psychonaut Web Mapping Project is a 2-year European Commission (DG SANCO) funded study that aims to implement a regular monitoring of the web in respect to novel recreational drugs, and set up a web scanning system which will formally liaise with the existing EMCDDA European EWS. This is a multi-site research project involving 8 research centres in 7 European countries. As a result the project is able to formulate search engine queries and analyze drug related web content in 9 different languages, and is able to pay particular attention to the qualitative analysis of drug-related slang used in each language. A database of novel psychoactive compounds has been developed based on those provisionally identified online, together with more detailed technical folders for those substances for which some level of diffusion in the EU recreational consumers' community is confirmed. For further information about the project, to join the project mailing list, or to request access to the Psychonaut Web Mapping database please visit the project website.The first International Psychonaut Web Mapping Conference is taking place on 18 September 2009 in Ancona, Italy. Further information about the conference can be found in the conference programme . If you are interested in attending you can either register online via the project website  or by email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

31 participants attended the conference in Halifax.  6 from Canada, 11 from USA and 4 from Europe. The conference was held in the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. This gave us the opportunity to see some of the exhibitions as well as the possibility of enjoing the excellent restaurant belonging to the gallery. David Man stepped down as chair. Julie Murphy took over as new chair and Meg Brunner was elected chair-to-be. The presentations ranged from the AOD situation in Canada to Web 2.0. We were introduced to the approach to substance abuse and the alcohol history of Canada. Several presentations on Web 2.0 showed us how blogs, wikis, Flicr, LinkedIn, Facebook and social bookmarking can be used in the AOD library. As usual, the atmosphere was warm and friendly. Also as usual, the European participants were made feel especially welcome. Once again it became clear that we are part of the same professional scene. 
As cultural events, we had a tour of The Legislative Library of Nova Scotia and visited the Immigration Museum ending with a fabulous lobster dinner served in the museum.

The World Drug Report presents comprehensive information on the illicit drug situation. It provides detailed estimates and trends on production, trafficking and consumption int the opium/heroin, coca/cocaine, cannabis and amphetamine-type stimulants markets. The drug problem is being contained but there are warning signs that the stabilisation which has occurred over the last few years could be in danger. Notable amongst these is the increase in both opium poppy and coca cultivation in 2007, some growth in consumption in developing countries and some development of new trafficking patterns. There have also been encouraging contractions in some of the main consumer markets. This year, almost one hundred years since the Shanghai Opium Commission in 1909, the Report presents an historial review of the development of the international drug control system.

The World Drug Report is published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (www.unodc.org).