High availability of drugs for all types of substances, an increase in synthetic drugs, the emergence of new substances and new production practices in the market, are noted in the European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), which was presented on Monday, in Nicosia, by the Cyprus National Addictions Authority (CNAA).
Among the findings of the report, it is noted that 15.1% of young European adults aged 15-34 have used cannabis in the last year, with the rate for Cyprus being 8.1%.
The report, presented on the occasion of the International Day against Illicit Drug Use and Illicit Trafficking, focuses on illicit drug use, associated harms and drug supply, while providing a comprehensive set of national data on these issues as well as key interventions to reduce the harmful consequences.
In addition, the Annual Report for the activities of CNAA for 2022 was also presented during the event. Through the Annual Report, the developments per pillar are recorded, as well as the CNAA's recommendations to the Ministries for the continuation of the implementation of the National Strategy and the priorities of the Policy and Monitoring Departments for the coming year.
"June 26 has been designated as the International Day against Drug Use and Illicit Trafficking, and aims to strengthen cooperation and collective action to create a society as free as possible from illicit substances," said the President of CNAA, Dr. Christos Mina.
This year's campaign, Minas said, focuses on combating discrimination and marginalization of both people who use illegal substances and their families, promoting language and attitudes that are respectful and non-judgmental.
Ioanna Yasemi, Head of Monitoring Department/ ECDC, presenting the report of the European Centre for Documentation and Drug Addiction, said that the data show that the availability of drugs remains high for all types of substances, while the scale and complexity of their production in Europe continues to show an increasing trend.
She added that the report underlined the need for effective strategies to inform users about the health risks associated with new substances, drug interactions and high potency products.
Cannabis, said Yasemi, remains the most commonly consumed illicit substance and, in 2021, the quantities of cannabis seized reached their highest level in a decade, noting that 816 tons of cannabis resin and 256 tons of cannabis plants were seized in the European Union in 2021.
She also pointed out that 15.1% of young European adults aged 15-34 years had used cannabis in the last year. She said that the figure for Cyprus was 8.1%. At the same time, she said that in 2021, EU member states seized 303 tons of cocaine.
She stated that the impact of the high availability of cocaine is reflected in concerns about the increase in both health-related problems and levels of crime, including violent crimes linked to drug market activities.
Source: Cyprus News Agency