In 2022, 41 new drugs were notified through the EU’s Rapid Alert System (SAR). In this way, there are already 930 psychotropic substances that are monitored by the European Observatory on Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). The data comes from the European Report on Drugs 2023, made public on Friday by the organization, which warns of the complexity of drug production. Cannabis and also cocaine are still two of the most consumed drugs, but synthetic stimulants are also a concern.
“People who use drugs are now exposed to a wider range of psychotropic substances”, drugs that are generally of “high potency and purity”, points out the EMCDDA in a statement that warns that one of the greatest dangers lies in the fact that consumers “may not be aware of what they are taking”, they warn.
Despite the new developments, some old ones are still the most popular. This is the case of cannabis, which remains the most consumed illegal drug in Europe. Close to 8% (22.6 million) of adults in Europe aged between 15 and 64 consumed it in 2022. In this sense, the EMCDDA warns of the risks of poisoning, because some products sold on the black market , such as natural cannabis, can be adulterated with “potent synthetic cannabinoids”.
On the other hand, last year, close to 1.3% of Europeans aged between 15 and 64 consumed cocaine, which is the most widely consumed illicit stimulant drug in Europe. In addition, the report warns that combined consumption with alcohol is common among users and, therefore, of the double danger it poses. The agency also warns that there are indications that the use of injected cocaine, as well as crack, “is widespread among marginalized groups” in some countries. The big fear is that the more established drugs are becoming more accessible, but at the same time even more powerful ones continue to emerge. And illegal manufacturing in Europe is a reality that confirms the dismantling of 34 laboratories in 2021, when 23 were located the previous year.
The increase in the consumption of synthetic stimulants is also a concern. If until now amphetamine was the most consumed, the agency points to the fact that there are indications that “both methamphetamine and synthetic cathinones contribute significantly to the problems derived from stimulants”.
The report also warns that ketamine has become a recreational drug that is snorted and is sometimes mixed with other drugs. And he warns of the health concerns that also arouse the consumption of nitrous oxide (known as laughing gas), due to its accessibility – also in terms of price, because it is cheaper – among young people.
