Larnaca and Limassol are the cities with the highest use of methamphetamine in Cyprus according to a Wastewater analysis and drugs – European multi-city study, that was conducted in more than 100 cities. Moreover, there is an increase in the use of cocaine in Limassol, compared to last year. A press release issued by the Cyprus National Addictions Authority said that the results for Cyprus have been drawn in cooperation with the University of Cyprus Nireas International Water Research Center. The results were announced on Wednesday by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, EMCDDA . The project analysed wastewater in over 100 European cities and towns to explore the drug-taking habits of those who live in them. The project findings revealed distinct geographical and temporal patterns of drug use across European cities. The annual SCORE wastewater sampling from 104 cities, showed that, overall, the loads of the different stimulant drugs detected in wastewater in 2022 varied considerably across study locations, although all illicit drugs investigated were found in almost every city that participated. The BE loads observed in wastewater indicate that cocaine use remains highest in western and southern European cities, in particular in cities in Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Low levels were found in the majority of the eastern European cities, although with the most recent data showing some signs of increase. A recent European project on wastewater, EUSEME, found crack cocaine residues in all 13 participating cities and for all sampling days, with the highest loads reported in Amsterdam and Antwerp. The loads of amphetamine detected in wastewater varied considerably across study locations, with the highest levels being reported in cities in the north and east of Europe, as in previous years. Amphetamine was found at much lower levels in cities in the south of Europe, although with the most recent data showing some signs of increase. The highest loads were found in cities in Sweden, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland. In contrast, methamphetamine use, generally low and historically concentrated in Czechia and Slovakia, was also present in Belgium, the east of Germany, Spain, Turkey and northern Europe. The observed methamphetamine loads in the other locations were very low, although most recent data show signals of increases in central and southern European cities. The highest mass loads of MDMA were found in the wastewater in cities in Belgium, Czechia, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal. The highest mass loads of the cannabis metabolite THC-COOH were found in wastewater in cities in Czechia, Spain, the Netherlands and Portugal. For the first time, ketamine loads are being published. The highest mass loads were found in the wastewater in cities in Denmark, Italy, Spain and Portugal. The BE loads observed in wastewater indicate that cocaine use remains highest in western and southern European cities, in particular in cities in Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Low levels were found in the majority of the eastern European cities, but the most recent data show signs of increase. In Cyprus the use of cocaine was at low levels compared to the European average, with the highest use recorded once again in Limassol, where there has been an increase its use, compared to last year. The highest mass loads of MDMA were found in the wastewater in cities in Belgium, Czechia, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal. Amphetamine and methamphetamine, two closely related stimulants, are both consumed in Europe, although amphetamine is much more commonly used. Methamphetamine consumption has historically been restricted to Czechia and, more recently, Slovakia, although recent years have seen increases in use in other countries. Cypriot cities are quite high in ranking as regards the use of methamphetamine, with the biggest consumption recorded in Larnaca and Limassol. On the contrary the use of MDMA and amphetamine was very low, compared to the European data, in all the cities of Cyprus. Cannabis is Europe’s most commonly used illicit drug, with an estimated 22.6 million last year users. Cannabis use appeared to have been less affected during the pandemic lockdown periods, although differences between and within countries existed. Data from the European Web Survey on Drugs: COVID-19 (EWSD-COVID) also indicated that, among respondents, cannabis use patterns remained relatively stable during the first lockdown period, with more than two fifths (42 %) of the cannabis users who participated in the survey reporting no change in their use of the drug compared with before the pandemic (EMCDDA, 2020). In Cyprus there was a significant use of cannabis was close to Europe’s average. In 2022, generally very low levels of ketamine residues in municipal wastewater were reported by 15 cities, with the highest mass loads detected in cities in Denmark, Italy, Spain and Portugal. In Cyprus very low levels of ketamine were recorded. President of Cyprus National Addictions Authority, Christos Mina, underlined the significance of this study, noting that such surveys allow the undertaking of measures on time, with a view to address the problem of the use of illegal drugs both in Cyprus and in Europe.
Source: Cyprus News Agency