The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has published its annual report. There is a steady increase in the consumption of cannabis in Europe, with a trend towards a higher concentration of the active ingredient.

Consumption of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is also on the rise, which is partly attributable to greater access online and to new ways of procuring ingredients and new forms of production. Several types of drugs are increasingly being manufactured in Europe, which makes it difficult to monitor and combat drug trafficking. There is also an increase in the amount of drugs being sold over the Internet as a result of new payment systems and the dark net. Overall, willingness to try different substances and “new” drugs has increased.  

 

These trends have also seen an increase in the demand for treatment and therapy for cannabis and amphetamine consumption, whereas demand for the treatment of cocaine use has remained constant. In contrast, MDMA is rarely the reason for first entry into drug treatment.