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Increased Risks Associated with Drugs in Europe

The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has published a report summarizing the state of drug use in Europe (28 European Union member states plus Turkey and Norway) using the most recent data.The number of overdose deaths has risen for the third consecutive year, with 8,841 deaths in 2015 compared to 7,950 in 2014, affecting all age groups. Problem opioid users, including those in substitution treatment (methadone and buprenorphine), represent one of the most vulnerable groups.In 2016, 66 new psychoactive substances were detected for the first time through the European Union’s Early Warning System (EWS), compared to 98 in 2015. By the end of 2016, the EMCDDA was monitoring more than 620 psychoactive substances, compared to approximately 350 in 2013. In 2015, nearly 80,000 seizures of new psychoactive substances were reported to the EWS. Synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic cathinones accounted for more than 60% of all seizures of new substances in 2015 (more than 47,000).New synthetic opioids with high concentrations of active ingredients pose a growing health threat in both Europe and North America. Since small quantities are sufficient to produce thousands of doses sold on the street, these new opioids are easy to conceal and transport. The exceptionally high active ingredient content poses serious risks of poisoning not only to users but also to those accidentally exposed (postal workers, customs officers, emergency responders). The most commonly used illicit stimulants in Europe are cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy), and amphetamines. Cocaine use is higher in Western and Southern Europe, while amphetamines are more prevalent in the North and East. Analyses of urban wastewater for drug residues reveal stable or rising trends. Some 17.5 million European adults have used cocaine at some point in their lives.Some 87.7 million European adults have used cannabis at some point in their lives. About 1% of European adults use it daily. Among students, cannabis use in the month prior to the survey is half as high in Europe (8%) as in the U.S. (15%). In contrast, tobacco use is four times higher in Europe (23%) than in the U.S. (6%). The percentage of students who had used alcohol in the month prior to the survey is twice as high in Europe (49%) as in the U.S. (22%).