The EMCDDA Annual Report 2007 sheds light on the situation of drug use and drug-related problems across 25 EU Member States and Norway and, when data were available, from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. The outcomes reveal positive and negative results.
Two positive trends allow some optimism:
first, the use of the most popular drug, cannabis, has stabilised in high-prevalence countries such as Spain, Czech Republic, France and the UK and has decreased in mid-ranking countries like Germany. Cannabis use has decreased amid 14-18 year-olds [1].
second, heroin use and drug injecting have become less common among Europeans.
On the other hand, negative trends emphasise the need for further action:
the dramatic increase of cocaine consumption, which has seen an overall rise over the last year. Cocaine represents the second most common illicit drug after cannabis and it is worryingly spreading among young adults (15-34 year-olds),
1% of European adults still consumes cannabis on a daily basis,
infections linked to injecting drug use is still topical in the EU: around 3,500 injecting drug users contracted HIV in 2005 [2] and around 1 million people who injected drugs are living with the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV),
drug-related deaths are historically high (between 7,000 and 8,000 drug-related deaths related to opioid use in 2005, 400 deaths due by cocaine use).
The impact of drug use on public health
Drug-related problems, increasing demand for treatment, drug-related deaths, and infections among injecting drug users are a few examples of public health concerns caused by the use of drugs. To tackle this problem, EMCDDA recommends that Member States should adopt measures to:
enable access to treatment,
set risk-reduction strategies for drug-users leaving prison,
training for treatment staff in addressing the risks of polydrug use,
address substance-specific strategies to tackle the rise of specific drugs, e.g; cocaine,
invest in overdose reduction programmes,
tailor programmes for vulnerable groups.
How does Europe respond to the drug problem?
Drug availability and use is strongly connected with international trafficking and smuggling. Member States are increasingly working on demand reduction measures in order to reduce the supply of drugs. Member States therefore act at both European and at national levels. The European Union Drug Strategy focuses on sharing good practice and encouraging coordinated action on drugs. Although much progress has been achieved in terms of coordination, Wolfganz Götz, EMCDDA director highlights that more emphasis on prevention is needed to address both health-related problems and reduce the overall demand.
For further information:
EPHA related articles
EU Drugs Strategy (2005-2012)
*UPDATED* Launch of 2006 annual report on the state of the drugs problem in Europe
2005 Report on the state of the drugs problem in Europe
Consultation on EU Action plan for Drugs
EU Action Plan on Drugs (2005-2008)
