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1. The Agency shall monitor:

(a) the drugs phenomenon in the Union in a holistic manner, using epidemiological and other indicators, covering the health, human rights, social, safety and security aspects thereof, including the implementation of the applicable Union drug-related strategic documents;

(b) evidence-based best practices and innovative approaches regarding health, human rights, social, safety or security responses;

(c) drug use, drug use disorders, drug addictions and related health risks, drug-related harm, risk behaviours associated with drug use and emerging trends in those fields;

(d) poly-substance use and its consequences, in particular the increased risks of health and social problems, the social determinants of drug use, drug use disorders and addictions, and the implications for policies and responses;

(e) drug and poly-substance use and its consequences from an age and gender perspective, in particular its impact on gender-based violence;

(f) emerging trends in the drugs phenomenon in the Union and internationally in so far as they impact the Union; monitoring under this point shall include the monitoring of drug supply, including illicit production, trafficking and other related crimes and the use of new technologies, without prejudice to the mandates of other Union bodies, offices and agencies;

(g) in cooperation with Europol and with the support of the national focal points and the Europol national units, all new psychoactive substances that have been reported by Member States;

(h) drug precursors and the diversion and trafficking of drug precursors;

(i) the implementation of Union and national drugs policies, including with a view to supporting the development and independent evaluation of such policies.

2. Based on its monitoring activities under paragraph 1, the Agency shall identify, support and, where appropriate, co-develop evidence-based best practices and innovative approaches. The Agency shall share such best practices and approaches with the Member States and facilitate the exchange of such best practices and approaches between them.

3. The Agency shall develop tools and instruments to help Member States monitor and evaluate their national policies, in cooperation with the national focal points, and to help the Commission monitor and evaluate Union policies.

4. The Agency shall undertake regular foresight exercises, taking into account the information available. It shall develop, on that basis, relevant scenarios for the development of future drugs policy.

Monitoring of the drugs phenomenon and sharing of best practices