The rapid bounce back of drug supply and use following COVID-19 disruption is among the issues highlighted on the 15th of June 2022 by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) as it launches its European Drug Report 2022: Trends and Developments. The report delivers the latest overview of the drug situation in Europe, exploring long-term trends and emerging threats. At a time when the international situation raises new challenges, the report also looks at how ongoing global events may affect the dynamics of Europe’s drugs problem in future.
The annual review describes how Europe’s drug problems continue to evolve and how innovation is driving the drug market. Drug availability remains at high levels across the EU (in some cases, such as cocaine, surpassing pre-pandemic levels) and potent and hazardous substances are still appearing. The report also reveals how cannabis products are becoming increasingly diverse and how the production of synthetic drugs within Europe is on the rise.
For drug use, there are also signs of a return to pre-pandemic levels. Wastewater analysis, for example, reveals increases in the use of cocaine, crack, amphetamine and methamphetamine in some cities between 2020 and 2021. And, as COVID-19 restrictions have been relaxed across Europe, drug treatment and other services appear to have returned to ‘business as usual’, while maintaining some of the innovative practices adopted during lockdown (e-health services, telemedicine).
Hazardous new psychoactive substances continue to appear — cathinones in the spotlight
New psychoactive substances (NPS) continue to appear in Europe at the rate of one per week, posing a public health challenge. In 2021, 52 new drugs were reported for the first time through the EU Early Warning System (EWS), bringing the total number of NPS monitored by the EMCDDA to 880. In 2021, 6 new synthetic opioids, 6 synthetic cathinones and 15 new synthetic cannabinoids were reported for the first time.
Cannabis — new developments for Europe’s most popular illicit drug
Developments in the cannabis area are creating new challenges for how countries respond to Europe’s most commonly consumed illicit drug. Cannabis products are becoming increasingly diverse, including extracts and edibles (high THC content) and CBD products (low THC content). Europe’s cannabis policy environment is also changing, with the scope of policies gradually widening. In addition to illicit cannabis control, policies now cover the regulation of cannabis for medical and other uses. In 2020, the average THC content of cannabis resin was 21
Signs of rising drug production, trafficking and availability in Europe
Over 350 illegal drug production laboratories were dismantled in 2020, including some large-scale cocaine, methamphetamine and cathinone production sites. The latest analysis suggests the availability of cocaine in Europe remains high, bringing with it a range of health threats. A record 213 tonnes of cocaine were seized in the EU in 2020 (202 tonnes in 2019), while 23 laboratories were dismantled (15 in 2019).
The availability of amphetamine is also high and may be on the rise. In 2020, EU Member States seized a record 21.2 tonnes (15.4 tonnes in 2019) and 78 amphetamine laboratories were dismantled (38 in 2019).
The number of MDMA laboratories dismantled (29) remained relatively stable in 2020. In addition, 15 cathinone production sites were dismantled (5 in 2019) and 860 kg of chemical precursors for cathinone production were seized (438 in 2019). Although less common, illicit laboratories producing heroin, ketamine, GBL and DMT were also dismantled in the EU in 2020.
Need to scale up treatment and harm reduction services
In 2020, only Czechia, Spain, Luxembourg and Norway reported meeting the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2020 targets of providing 200 syringes per year per person who injects drugs and having 40
An estimated 5 800 overdose deaths, involving illicit drugs, occurred in the EU in 2020. Most of these fatalities were associated with polydrug toxicity, which typically involves combinations of illicit opioids, other illicit drugs, medicines and alcohol. Alongside high cocaine availability in Europe, reports indicate that crack use may be increasing and is now seen among vulnerable drug users in more cities and countries. Crack is usually smoked, but can also be injected, and is linked to a range of health and social harms (e.g. infectious diseases and violence). Long-term trends point to an estimated 7 000 clients entering drug treatment for crack problems in Europe in 2020, triple the number in 2016.
Source: www.emcdda.europa.eu
