UK is the “cocaine Capital” of Europe

London, June 25: A report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has revealed that with more than one million regular users- UK has become Europe’s largest cocaine market.

The report states, “The UK thus continues to be – in absolute numbers – Europe’s largest cocaine market, followed by Spain, Italy and Germany.”

It also revealed that although the cocaine use had increased dramatically in the UK from the mid-90s, however, it has remained stable over the last two years. “The decline among youth started several years before the decline among the general population,” the report said.

The frequent crackdown on traffickers has pushed prices up and led to dealers cutting even more, leading to a stabilisation or decline in use due to low purity levels. The cost of a kilogram of cocaine which was £30,000 in 2007 has become £45,000 now.

According to the report, England and Wales have an estimated 860,000 cocaine users and nearly 140,000 in Northern Ireland and Scotland combined, with around a quarter of all problem users in the UK living in its capital – i.e. a total of 74,000 people. This astounding fact also implies that one out of every hundred person in the capital is inflicted by this problem.

The findings follow a warning from the charity DrugScope that the young and affluent are increasingly taking cocaine with alcohol because it allows them to drink more and still feel sober. Martin Barnes, chief executive of DrugScope, said that those using cocaine in this way probably did not bother much about what they are buying.

Cultivation and Supply

While, opium cultivation in Afghanistan, where 93 percent of the world’s opium is produced, decreased by 19 percent in 2008. Colombia, which produces half of the world’s cocaine, saw a fall of 18 percent in cultivation and a staggering 28 percent decline in production compared to 2007. Global coca production, at 845 tons, is at a five-year low, despite some increases in cultivation in Peru and the Bolivia.

Cannabis remains the drug that is most widely cultivated and used around the world, although estimates are less precise. Data also show that it is more harmful than commonly believed. The average tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content – the harmful component – of hydroponic marijuana in North America has almost doubled in the past decade. This has major implications for health, as evidenced by a significant rise in the number of people seeking treatment.

The bulk of all opiates production is destined for consumption in the neighbouring Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan, Central Asian countries and, to a lesser extent, India. These markets with nearly 5 million users are larger than the opiate market in West and Central Europe with nearly 1.4 million users. However, the opiate markets in Western Europe are financially more lucrative. Therefore, Afghani opiates also reach Western Europe via Iran and Pakistan along the Balkan route.