From Växjö in Sweden to Porto and Zagreb, almost no city in Europe is immune to illicit drug use, with an increase in the detection of ecstasy, cocaine and amphetamine residues in wastewater compared to 2023, and a decrease in cannabis, according to a study published on March 19.
The annual study, which in 2024 " across a record 128 European cities, paints a clear picture of a widespread and complex drug problem, the six substances "drugs wanted" having been detected in almost " all participating cities, summarizes in a press release Alexis Goosdeel, director of the European Union Agency on Drugs (EUDA, ex-EMCDDA), who carried out the project in association with the Score network of researchers (34 organizations across the world).
Daily samples of municipal wastewater were collected from the catchment areas of wastewater treatment plants last spring in 128 cities in 26 countries (24 in the European Union, Turkey, and Norway). These samples of wastewater from some 68.8 million people were analyzed for traces of amphetamine, cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy and its active ingredient MDMA, as well as ketamine and cannabis.
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Fluctuations in weekly consumption patterns
For cocaine, the majority of cities with data for the last two years reported an increase. The analyses indicate that its use remains highest in cities in Western and Southern Europe, particularly Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain.
For MDMA, most cities also reported an increase in detections between 2023 and 2024, and traces of these substances were found most heavily in wastewater in towns in Belgium, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and Portugal. Ketamine, meanwhile, was most prevalent in cities in Belgium, the Netherlands, Hungary, and Norway.
The study also highlights differences in the most commonly detected substances in different cities within the same country, which can be partly explained by the different social and demographic characteristics of cities (universities, nightlife venues and age distribution of the population)“.
Wastewater analysis also makes it possible to detect fluctuations in weekly consumption patterns. In more than three-quarters of cities, traces of benzoylecgonine (the main metabolite of cocaine), ketamine, and MDMA in wastewater are higher during the weekend (Friday to Monday) than during the week. In contrast, the use of amphetamine, cannabis, and methamphetamine is more evenly distributed throughout the week.
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