There has never been so much cocaine in circulation, warn Europol and the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction in a report, friday 6 may. A phenomenon also noted by Professor Amine Benyamina, head of the psychiatry and addictology department at the Paul-Brousse hospital in Villejuif and President of the French Federation of Addictology. “We see that this phenomenon has taken hold in a lasting way, he worries on franceinfo, Now we get support requests for this product almost every day.”
Cocaine is the second most widely used drug in the European Union after cannabis. The market is booming and represented 10.5 billion euros in 2020. For the fourth consecutive year, record quantities of cocaine (214.6 tonnes) were seized in Europe in 2020, up 6% compared to to 2019.
The age of cocaine users has also decreased. Customers are now attracted by the price, which has dropped from an average of 80 to 60 euros per gram. “In the 80s and 90s, cocaine was a product that was rather socially marked and expensive. It interested a certain social class”he explains. “Now it’s a product that concerns everyone, explains Professor Benyamina, and which unfortunately also affects the youngest: because it is cheaper and because it is more widespread.” “Today we have digital support and the traffickers have adapted”.
“Cocaine is an extremely potent psychological addiction.recalls the addictology specialist, but also significant damage.” “We have damage to the nasal septum and heart problems, he hammers, We have neurological problems with suspected myocardial infarctions in young people aged 30-35. Professor Benyamina denounces a public health problem “but also planetary”.
According to the president of the French Federation of Addictologies, France is lagging behind in terms of prevention, “especially the youngest, there is no campaign in the media”. But also regarding research, “There is currently no substitution treatment”he regrets, which makes withdrawal more complicated than for heroin for example.