Brussels, 10/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - The number of cocaine induced deaths (the second most popular illegal drug consumed in Europe, after cannabis) almost doubled over the period of a year, emphasised the OEDT, in its annual report published on Wednesday in Lisbon. In 2008, around 1,000 deaths linked to cocaine consumption were notified in Europe, as opposed to 500 in 2007.
In the United Kingdom, the number of death certificates issued for cocaine fatalities doubled between 2003 (161) and 2008 (325). In 2008, around 70,000 people had begun treatment for problems caused by cocaine use (powder and crack cocaine) in 27 European countries. Wolfgang Götz, the director of the OEDT, declared that “too many Europeans continue to consider that cocaine consumption is a relatively harmless corollary to leading a successful life”. He added that “increasing cocaine consumption creates a greater impact on public health. The use of this product can increase very swiftly, but it can also lead to death, even if it is only taken occasionally and in small doses”. Deaths caused by cocaine use constitute a complex phenomenon and the police and medical and legal experts may be failing to detect many deaths caused by cocaine consumption because most of them are caused by cardiovascular problems or strokes. These deaths are not dose-dependent and can also occur among occasional cocaine users or those using small amounts of the drug. Around 14 million European adults (4.1%) have used cocaine at least once and 4 million (1.3%) used it in 2009. High levels of drug use have been highlighted in Western Europe. Increasingly sophisticated strategies for bringing cocaine into Europe are being adopted through a variety of different methods (beeswax, plastic, fertiliser and clothes etc) before these items are exported and subsequently extracted in secret laboratories set up in EU territory.
Although cannabis is still the most popular drug in Europe, consumption levels are falling or stagnating, except in East European countries where cannabis use is now of a similar level to that in Western Europe. Around 75.5 million Europeans or one in every five adults aged between 15 to 64 have used cannabis at least once in their lives and around 23 million used this drug in 2009. Almost 1,000 tonnes of cannabis resin were intercepted in Europe last year, 100 tonnes more than in 2008. Wolfgang Götz explained that “the public's idea of domestic cannabis production is often that of a pot on the edge of the window or a few plants in a greenhouse or garden… but the situation is completely different nowadays. Organised crime is aware of the profits it can make from large-scale cannabis cultivation close to its target markets”. Around 11 million adults (3.3%) have tried ecstasy at least once, 2.5 million (0.8%) in 2009; almost all of them were aged between 15 and 34. Amphetamine consumption is below the consumption levels of cocaine but in many countries, particularly in the north of Europe, amphetamines and methamphetamines are the drugs of choice. Finally, between 1.2 and 1.5 million Europeans use heroin or opiates. In Europe, 4% of deaths among young people are due to drug use and three quarters of these cases are caused by the consumption of opiates. (B.C./transl.fl)