Youth, diversity, and harm reduction in the digital world: results of the NextGen survey on new psychoactive substances in Portugal

The GAT Group of Activists in Treatment has begun to release the first results of the online survey conducted as part of the European project NEHRD – NextGen Harm Reduction: Tackling the Challenge of Emerging Psychoactive Drugs. Co-funded by the European Union, this project brings together four civil society organizations with extensive experience in harm reduction: ARAS (Romania), HOPS (North Macedonia), Re Generacija (Serbia), and GAT (Portugal).

The main objective of the project is to strengthen the capacities of communities, professionals, and civil society organizations in the face of the challenge of new psychoactive substances (NPS), promoting the development of digital services co-created with communities. In this context, the survey conducted in Portugal serves as a basis for designing online services that are more relevant, accessible, and culturally appropriate for people who use NPS.

The online survey was conducted between March and June 2025, targeting adults who had used NPS in the last 12 months. The design and implementation of the study involved consultations with NPS users and experts, as well as specific digital campaigns to reach diverse audiences, including people from more marginalized communities. The sample in Portugal included 113 people.

The survey collected data from 113 people residing in Portugal who had used NSPs in the past 12 months. The majority (70.8%) are between 18 and 34 years old, reflecting a young group with high digital literacy and identity diversity: 46% identify as men, 38.1% as women, and 15% as non-binary or trans. More than half (54.9%) belong to the LGBTIQA+ community and 23.9% are men who have sex with men. Migrants, people living with HIV, and sex workers are also represented in the study.

What substances do they use?

The most commonly reported substances were synthetic cathinones (60.2%) and synthetic dissociatives (55.8%), followed by synthetic psychedelics (38.9%) and GHB/GBL (23%). Use tends to be occasional and motivated mainly by fun, relaxation, curiosity, and, to a lesser extent, in sexualized contexts (25.7%).

NPS can be categorized into several groups, such as:

• Synthetic cathinones: mephedrone, 2-MMC, 3-MMC, Alpha-PHP;
• Synthetic dissociatives: ketamine, MXE, diphenidine;
• Synthetic psychedelics: 1P-LSD, NBOMe, 2C-B, other substances in the 2C series, DOx;
• GHB/GBL

What are the risks?

Most reported negative effects such as mood swings, nasal sores, insomnia, and mental health symptoms (e.g., panic, paranoia). Data also show that NPS injection is rare but present: 5.3% currently inject and 8.8% have done so in the past.

What risk reduction practices exist?

Many users adopt informal risk reduction strategies, such as hydration, controlled dosing, or researching information. However, access to formal services remains very low: 57.5% have never used drug checking. Only 22.1% have interacted with online risk reduction services, which shows the importance of building Risk Reduction and Harm Minimization (RRHM) services adapted to current realities.

And in the digital realm?

Instagram, online forums, and search engines are the main sources of information about NSP. The preferred formats for accessing risk reduction content are dedicated websites (50.4%), Instagram pages (44.3%), online forums (19.5%), and mobile apps (17.7%). There is also clear interest in self-assessment tools, overdose prevention training, and peer support groups.

What now?

Given the population's high digital literacy and low uptake of formal HRM services, GAT launched the Integrated Chemsex Support Service as part of the NextGen Harm Reduction project, which consists, among other things, of counseling by a technical peer harm reduction specialist.

This peer support service is provided by people who use drugs in a sexual context and, due to the high digital literacy of the population, in addition to being available at the GAT IN Mouraria center, it is also available online throughout the country. Appointments must be made via email to in.mouraria@gatportugal.org.

The data now released will serve as a basis for GAT, in partnership with Kosmicare, to continue to develop digital risk reduction services that are closer to people who use NSP - accessible, anonymous, focused on their digital routines, and co-created with the community.

If you are interested in learning more or participating in the project, please contact us at adriana.curado@gatportugal.org.