a worrying increase in consumption

Limoges, prefecture of Haute-Vienne, is very far from the image that we have of a city plagued by drugs. However, as everywhere in France, cocaine is gaining ground. Police seizures of the drug jumped 110% last year. If the first consumption often takes place in a festive setting, it can be very fast to sink. “At first, it’s euphoria, it’s good, we’re happy, it changes the way we think, act. And after that, we can’t cope without it”says a man.

600,000 cocaine users in France

The low price of cocaine and the ease of obtaining it are attractive. A so-called hard and addictive drug. “When we are on the descent, we are not well, we are depressed, we have dark thoughts. Some people want to kill themselves, suddenly we want to take it back to be able to feel much better”, says Dr. Catherine Chevalier, addictologist at CSAPA Bobillot. Between 2014 and 2020, world production is said to have doubled. France would have 600,000 cocaine users.