The latest European Drug Report came out last week ant it did not paint a pretty picture. Not that there reports ever do, but this latest one highlights some very worrying trends.
According to the report there has been an increase in the use of cannabis and cocaine across the EU. Perhaps even more worrying is the fact that the potency of the drugs is on the rise. In simple terms this means that drugs are becoming deadlier.
The data also shows that there was an ecstasy ‘revival,’ and the party drug, described by many youths as a bit of ‘harmless weekend fun’, is also becoming more toxic.
The data for Malta is incomplete in some sections of the report, but statistics coming from other local sources fills the gaps.
Rehab statistics compiled by Caritas show that the trends in Malta are somewhat similar to other European countries. There has been a marked decrease in the number of people seeking help to stop shooting up heroin, which is a positive thing, but on the other hand 2017 has seen a record number of people asking for help for cocaine and cannabis addiction.
To put things into perspective, only six percent of those seeking help in 2006 were addicted to cocaine. Now, that figure has risen to 20%. The figure for cannabis has risen from 12% to 30% over the last decade.
Rehab specialists are warning about the accessibility of cocaine, and how cannabis, decriminalized in 2014, is now regarded by many as being at par with alcohol or cigarettes.
The warning signs about cocaine have been there for some time. An analysis of sewage for drug content in 2016 had found that around 10 grams of cocaine were flushed down the toilet every day. At the time, Maltese sewers contained as much cocaine per inhabitant as Porto, where drug use is legal, and 10 times the amount in Athens.
Cocaine is not regarded only as a weekend party drug and it is not exclusive to nightclub areas. It is common knowledge that the drug is used at all sorts of events, from your ‘innocent’ village festa to weddings. Reports often reach this newsroom of cocaine being used openly in bars all around the island, at all times of the day.
Cannabis is widely regarded as the teenager’s drug. It is more accessible than cocaine, relatively cheap and often thought of as being harmless. Anyone who knows what cannabis smells like will tell you that the drug is used practically everywhere and at all times.
The police have made great strides over the past few years where it comes to drug seizures. But the fact that more raids are being mounted and greater quantities of drugs are being found also means that more of it is coming in.
The country is heading towards a debate on the legalization of recreational marijuana. Some say that legalization would lead to ‘better’ quality drugs on the market, others that this would only make the country’s drug culture worse.
This must be a serious debate which takes all the above into consideration. The final decision must be one that is in the best interest of our youths, not one that delivers more votes to one political party or the other.