EU Residents Spend Over €30 Billion Annually on Drugs
Despite strict drug prohibition policies, the black market in the European Union continues to grow stronger. The war on drugs has been lost, and only legalization and government regulation of substances may offer a solution. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), together with Europol, has released a report on drug consumption in the EU. According to the report, “EU residents spend at least €30 billion annually on drugs. This market is the largest source of income for organized crime in the European Union.”
National Preferences
The report highlights that cannabis, in its two main forms—marijuana and hashish—is the most in-demand drug, accounting for €11.6 billion or 39% of the total legal and illegal drug market turnover. About 25 million Europeans aged 15 to 64 used marijuana or hashish in the past year.
While demand for cannabis in the form of marijuana or hashish remains dominant, the report notes a rise in sales of products containing cannabis, such as therapeutic preparations or medicines with cannabidiol (CBD) or low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Photo: 2,500 kg of cocaine seized by Spanish national police from the vessel Archangelos
Spain and the Netherlands are identified as the main entry points for drugs into Europe from Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Spain primarily receives cannabis products, usually shipped by sea from Morocco, while the Netherlands focuses on cocaine and heroin. However, both countries also receive other types of drugs, though in smaller quantities. Unsurprisingly, both lead in the amount of drugs seized by law enforcement.
After cannabis, cocaine is the second most consumed drug in Europe, with an estimated annual turnover of €9.1 billion and 4 million users. Consumption is still concentrated in southern and western Europe, but the market is expanding due to record production increases in Latin America, leading to more trafficking into Europe.
Most cocaine enters through Spain, the Netherlands, and Belgium, with the highest demand in the United Kingdom. “Britain loves cocaine. More is consumed here than anywhere else in Europe,” says EMCDDA expert João Matias. In the UK, 2.6% of people aged 16–59 used powdered cocaine in 2017–2018, up from 2.4% in 2013–2014, according to the UK Home Office. Experts believe the real numbers may be higher, as official statistics often exclude students, prisoners, and the homeless, who typically have higher rates of illegal drug use.
Heroin and other opiates rank third, with a 25% market share and €7.4 billion in annual spending (1.3 million users in the EU last year). Opiates mainly enter the EU via the Balkans, though Europol notes increasing shipments from the south, especially through the Suez Canal. The market for amphetamines, methamphetamines, and MDMA (ecstasy) is estimated at about €1.5 billion per year (5% of the total). Last year, about 1.7 million Europeans used amphetamines or methamphetamines, and 2.6 million used MDMA.
Production of these substances is organized on an industrial scale within the EU, targeting both domestic consumption and export. New technologies are increasing product purity and lowering prices, which is one reason for the growing number of users. Supporting this trend, a 2018 report noted that 30,300 people sought addiction treatment in 2016, a 20% increase from 2014.
According to the 2018 EMCDDA report, at least 92 million EU citizens (56 million men and 36 million women) aged 15 to 64 have tried illegal drugs at least once in their lives.
Traces Lead to the Sewers
The report also includes research on drug residue in the wastewater of European cities across 26 EU countries. From 2015 to 2017, cocaine traces in wastewater increased in 26 out of 31 cities surveyed. The highest levels were found in Barcelona (965 mg per 1,000 residents per day), followed by Zurich (934.4 mg) and Antwerp (822.9 mg). Other cities with high levels include St. Gallen, Geneva, Bristol, Amsterdam, Basel, Bern, and Dortmund. The lowest was in Turku (4.7 mg). On a country level, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK have the highest concentrations of cocaine residues, while Eastern European countries show very little.
Photo: Dominican Republic National Drug Control agents guard a cocaine shipment found on a vessel bound for Barcelona
Presenting the 2019 report, Dimitris Avramopoulos, European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs, and Citizenship, stated, “Organized crime groups are quickly adapting to new opportunities for profit and increasingly use technological and logistical innovations to transport products across international borders. At the same time, stimulant-containing medicines are becoming more accessible to European consumers, often through social networks and the internet. Today’s report once again proves that the illegal drug market remains a threat to the health and safety of our citizens. We will continue to work tirelessly with our member states and international partners to strengthen our fight against drugs in all its aspects for the benefit of our youth, our citizens, and our society.”
The Lost War
It is difficult to say how effective Europe’s anti-drug efforts will be, as the authorities in countries producing most of the drugs supplied to Europe are moving in the opposite direction. On January 30, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador told journalists, “The war on drugs is no longer being waged; we want peace.” Later, after this statement was widely reported, Obrador clarified that he meant there would be no more military operations against drug cartels, and that the National Guard would handle efforts against producers, traffickers, and distributors.
Colombia, which accounts for 70% of global cocaine production, has gone even further. In June of this year, former president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Juan Manuel Santos stated, “The war on drugs in Colombia has been waged for 40 years and has not been won by anyone,” concluding that universal legalization of drugs is necessary. The call was also signed by former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo and former Swiss President Ruth Dreifuss. The message noted that “from 2011 to 2015, drug-related deaths increased by 145%,” despite the US spending $100 billion annually fighting drug cartels.
Photo: Colombian anti-narcotics police special operation
Many politicians and ordinary citizens are alarmed that some countries are moving toward legalizing drug sales. In Colombia, any adult may possess up to 1g of cocaine; in Mexico, 0.5g; in Peru, 2g. Recreational marijuana use is legal in Canada and in 11 US states plus the District of Columbia. In another 15 US states, marijuana possession is no longer a criminal offense; many other countries, including Austria, Switzerland, and Portugal, have also changed their laws accordingly.
How long the rest of the Western world will hold out remains to be seen.