EU study reveals European drug market at its peak size ever recorded.
The latest report reveals that 26 new drugs turned up in Europe last year, making the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) keep an eye on over 950 psychoactive substances now. Not only that, the issue of people using multiple substances at once is also becoming more common. The most popular combos found in this study were pairs of benzodiazepines and opioids, both sedating drugs, or the combination of stimulating cocaine and alcohol.
Cocaine is the most widely used illegal drug in Europe, with approx. 4 million consumers aged 15-64, says the report. Around 20% of the overdose fatalities in Europe in 2022 were linked to cocaine, usually mixed with other drugs.
The transport of cocaine from South America to Europe has increased for the sixth year in a row, states the report. The experts believe that only a fraction of the smuggled cocaine gets seized by the security agencies.
Cocaine is smuggled into Europe mainly through container ports like Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Hamburg. Because of tighter control at these big ports, the smugglers now seem to turn to smaller, less-well-controlled ones in Sweden or Norway. In addition, cocaine production is happening within Europe too - 39 cocaine laboratories were unearthed across the continent in 2022, compared to 34 in 2021.
Cannabis is the most used drug in Europe, taken by 22.8 million Europeans including 15.1 million youngsters between 15 and 34, says the report from 2023.
Heroin consumption in Europe mostly comes from Afghanistan, states the report. Since opium poppy cultivation, the raw material for heroin, was outlawed in Afghanistan in 2022, EMCDDA predicts a shortage of heroin supplies in Europe. They're worried that this vacuum may be filled with even stronger synthetic opioids. They're particularly concerned about the rise of nitazene, which is 500 times stronger than morphine.
Read also:
- The EU report on drug addiction highlights that cocaine remains the most widely used illegal drug in Europe, with approximately 4 million consumers aged 15-64.
- The European Market for drugs is currently at its peak size ever recorded, according to an EU study, with cocaine transport from South America to Europe increasing for the sixth year in a row.
- The latest annual report from the EU's European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) reveals that 26 new drugs were found in Europe last year, leading to them monitoring over 950 psychoactive substances.
- The EU's Annual report on drug addiction notes that around 20% of overdose fatalities in Europe in 2022 were linked to cocaine, often mixed with other drugs.
