Drug Use in Europe: Which Countries Have the Highest Rates?
Synthetic Drugs Pose Growing Threat as Cannabis and Cocaine Remain Most Popular in Europe
Young adults in europe are increasingly experimenting with a variety of illegal drugs, with cannabis and cocaine leading the way, according to a new report. However,experts warn that synthetic drugs are emerging as a serious public health concern due to their unpredictable nature and potential for harm.
Nearly one in three Europeans have tried illegal drugs at some point in their lives,highlighting the widespread presence of these substances across the continent. While cannabis and cocaine remain the most commonly used drugs, especially among young adults, a worrying trend of increased synthetic drug use is raising alarm bells.
Data from the European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reveals that 15% of young adults in the EU have used cannabis in the past year,while 2.5% have used cocaine.
“The major penalties impact only the people who use the substance once or fewer times in a year,so not the real [heavy] users,” says Sabrina Molinaro,an epidemiologist and research director at the National research Council of Italy.Molinaro, who coordinates the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs, has been tracking drug use among 16-year-olds in Europe since the 1990s. Her research shows that generational trends in drug habits are remarkably consistent, suggesting that patterns observed in today’s youth will likely be reflected in adult-level data in the coming years.
While teenage boys have historically been more likely to use cannabis than girls, this gap has been narrowing in recent years, with girls’ use even surpassing boys’ in some countries.
A Growing Threat: Synthetic Drugs
While cannabis and cocaine dominate the landscape,other drugs like MDMA (ecstasy),heroin,opioids,psychedelic substances,and synthetic drugs are posing an increasing threat.
Synthetic drugs, in particular, are causing concern due to their unpredictable nature and the difficulty authorities face in identifying and banning them quickly enough.
“Thay are so perilous [because] you don’t know what you are taking,” warns Molinaro. “And because the drugs are often made in low-quality labs with the potential for ‘pollution’.”
The European Union Drug Agency (EUDA) reported that hundreds of synthetic drug labs were dismantled in the EU in 2022, and in the following year, its early warning system detected seven new synthetic opioid substances, which are highly potent.
“That is a very big health issue in the adult population,” Molinaro emphasizes.
The rise of synthetic drugs underscores the need for continued vigilance and public health initiatives to address the evolving landscape of drug use in Europe.