Malta has again registered the second highest use of high-risk opioid, mainly heroin - with 1,078 people in rehabilitation, according to the European Drug report 2015 which was published yesterday. The highest usage was registered in the United Kingdom. Last year, Malta also ranked second on opioid use. 

In the last twelve months, three deaths related to drug use have been registered in Malta.

In Malta there are between 6.5- 7.7 cases of opioid use per 1,000 people. 74.8% are being treated, out of which 33.7% are receiving opioid treatment for the first time. 79.9% have been previously treated for the drug use and 61.8% - that is, 816, use opioid through injections.

0.5% of adults make use cocaine, with 260 being treated. 65 of those being treated make use of cocaine through injections.

0.7% of the population make use of ecstasy with 22 people being treated for the habit.

New data in the report highlights the major role played by cannabis in drug-related crime statistics, with the drug accounting for 80% of seizures and cannabis use or possession for personal use accounting for over 60 % of all reported drug law offences in Europe.  In 2015, Europe registered 1.25 million drug offences, out of which 781,000 were related to cannabis.

In Malta, 4.3% make use of Cannabis, with 142 being treated. Out of these, 92 were previously treated. 0.3% of the population in Malta makes use of amphetamines, and only 4 are being treated.

Around Europe, statistics show that 1.9% of young people aged 15-35 made use of Cocaine, 1% of Amphetamines, and 1.4% of Ecstacy.  1.3 million adults aged between 15 and 65 are problem opioid users. 11.7% of young people used Cannabis.

Seizures

Cannabis is the most commonly seized drug, accounting for about eight out of ten seizures in Europe. Across Europe, there have been 3.7 million cannabis plants seizures, the highest being in Turkey and Spain. 

In the last 12 months in Malta, there have been 51 seizures of heroin, 115 of cocaine, 3 of amphetamines and 45 of ecstasy.

There have also been 71 seizures of cannabis resin, 85 of herbal cannabis and 3 of cannabis plants.

In 2013, about two-thirds of all seizures in the European Union were reported by just two countries, Spain and the United Kingdom. A considerable number of seizures were reported by Belgium, Germany, Italy and four Nordic countries.

New psychoactive substances on the market

The variety and the quantity of new psychoactive substances on Europe’s market are still increasing. In 2014, 101 new psychoactive substances were detected for the first time, mainly synthetic cannabinoids, stimulants, hallucinogens and opioids, mirror the established substances.

Purity increase

The data collection found evidence of purity or potency increases in the medium or short term for all the most commonly used drugs in Europe.

Problems related to heroin still account for a large share of the drug-related health and social costs in Europe with treatment demand continuing to decline. United Nations estimates suggest a substantial increase in opium production in Afghanistan, the country supplying most of the heroin consumed in Europe with Turkey acting as a geographical gateway for drugs being shipped into and out of the European Union.

It is estimated that cannabis is being sold for €8 to €13 per gram, heroin at €33 to €58 per gram and cocaine at €47 to €70 per gram. Ecstasy is sold for €5 of €10 per tablet.