London, the 'cocaine capital of Europe'
The city also has one of the highest uses of ecstasy in Europe
London is the cocaine capital of Europe and has the highest use of
the drug than any other city on the continent, new research published
has suggested.
The European Drug Report 2014 analysed the sewage systems of 42
cities for traces of the drug and found the English capital had the
highest cocaine use of any city tested, with consumption of the drug
appearing to peak on a Tuesday.
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London is the cocaine capital of Europe and has the highest
use of the drug than any other city, new research has found. |
The samples, which were taken and tested during a week in 2013 to
provide a forensic snapshot of drug use, found London was one of the
cities with the highest use of ecstasy.
London's sewage water contained 711 mg of benzoylecgonine, the main
chemical in cocaine, per 1,000 people, compared to 393 mg in Amsterdam
and 233 mg in Milan.
In general, cocaine and ecstasy were the more popular drugs in
western and some southern cities, while crystal meth remained the most
popular in eastern Europe. However, overall use of the drug is
continuing to decline in countries such as Denmark and the United
Kingdom after a peak in 2008. Eleven out of the 12 countries also
reported falls in cocaine use in surveys undertakenbetween 2011 and
2013. The international report also warned against the increasing use of
so-called legal highs, which are sold over the internet and often try to
mimic the effects of drugs such as cocaine or LSD.
The agency identified more than 80 new chemical drugs last year,
making a total of almost 250 detected over the past four years.
It warned: "Europe's drugs problem is becoming increasingly complex
with new challenges emerging that raise concerns for public health.
"Some positive signs in relation to the more established drugs [...]
is counter-balanced by new threats posed by synthetic drugs, including
stimulants, new psychoactive substances and medicinal products, all of
which are becoming more prominent in a changing European drug market."
The report follows on from a study conducted by the Drinking Water
Inspectorate, which found cocaine use was so prevalent in the UK traces
had even contaminated the drinking water supply.
- The Independent
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