The National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food, the main and the largest public health laboratory in Slovenia, will deliver a series of prevention programmes and programmes to reduce the harm from illicit drugs, new psychoactive substances and prohibited substances in sport as well as from other substances. As part of the project, the National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food will run analyses of samples that will be tested for the presence of banned substances in sport and other performance- and image-enhancing drugs. The laboratory will also put in place a system for collecting samples of illicit drugs in order to reduce further drug-related harm and strengthen advice and help services provided to the users of these substances.    

The project Improving laboratory testing for new psychoactive substances and illicit drugs by including laboratory testing for prohibited drugs in sport and other performance- and image-enhancing drugs – Drug testing improvement will be carried out under priority Long-term care and health, and social inclusion of Slovenia’s EU Cohesion Policy Programme 2021-2027. It will pursue specific objective Enhancing the equal and timely access to quality, sustainable and affordable services, including services that promote the access to housing and person-centred care including healthcare; modernising social protection systems, including promoting access to social protection, with a particular focus on children and disadvantaged groups; improving accessibility including for persons with disabilities, effectiveness and resilience of healthcare systems and long-term care services.

The project is worth a total of 1 million euros; it will receive 619,239.99 euros from the European Social Fund Plus.