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Video length: 4 min
Drugs: when their consumption explodes in the countryside
Drug trafficking does not only affect big cities. It thrives more and more in the countryside. It is very easy to obtain cocaine, heroin or even crack in rural areas.
(France 2)
Drug trafficking does not only affect big cities. It thrives more and more in the countryside. It is very easy to obtain cocaine, heroin or even crack in rural areas.
Behind the bucolic setting, far from big cities, lies a dark reality. How did cocaine, heroin and crack spread in the countryside? Laurent (first name has been changed), uses cocaine and heroin. Just a few months ago, it was up to 10 g per day. At 44, he lives in a small town near Saumur. Her life turned upside down after her divorce. In rural areas, drugs have become cheaper: 50 euros per gram of cocaine compared to 120 before, according to him. It is also very accessible: “it’s the same as going to the store: the super U is 2 km away, drugs are closer than that”he testifies.
One year in prison and 3,700 euros fine
The ease of obtaining supplies was noted on site by our journalists. An encrypted messaging redirects them to an ad offering a discreet and rapid sale of cocaine. Consumption can lead to up to one year in prison and a fine of 3,700 euros. Faced with the scale of the phenomenon, pharmacies are called upon to distribute syringes and clean equipment. In fact, each bite, each sniff represents a risk of disease. In Baugé (Maine-et-Loire, there are only 4,000 inhabitants. However, 4,500 injection kits were distributed by pharmacists last year.