The authorities in Malta seized over 17 tonnes of cannabis resin in 2018, almost 30 times as much as the 591kg seized in 2017, according to an annual European illicit drugs report.

The report, by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, says the 17,366kg of resin seized in 2018 places Malta in fifth place in Europe for the confiscation of this drug.

Similarly, just 0.2kg of herbal cannabis was seized in 2017, whilst 594.6kg were seized in 2018.

Countries preceding Malta in that list are mostly well-known for being Europe’s main hotspots for the manufacturing, distribution and consumption of drugs.

These are the top five in Europe: 

1. Spain (population: 46.66 million)
436,963kg of resin
37,220kg of herbal cannabis
981,148 plants

2. France (population: 66.89 million) 
85,400kg of resin
29,800kg of herbal cannabis
138,564 plants seized

3. Italy (population: 60.48 million)
78,522kg of resin
39,178kg of herbal cannabis
430,277 plants seized.

4. Turkey (population: 80.81 million)
31,473kg of resin
49,232kg of herbal cannabis
No figures available for seized plants

5. Malta (population: 493,599)
17,366kg of resin
594.6kg of herbal cannabis
No figures available for seized plants

As for cocaine, Malta reported a significant increase in the amount that was seized. While in 2017 a paltry 0.3kg were seized, 188kg of cocaine were seized in 2018.

Conversely, 2017 saw the seizure of 13kg of heroin while in 2018 this fell to 5kg confiscated.

A snapshot of cannabis use across Europe, with related statistics. Image: European Drug Report 2020: Trends and DevelopmentsA snapshot of cannabis use across Europe, with related statistics. Image: European Drug Report 2020: Trends and Developments

The situation in Europe

Throughout 2018, 180 tonnes of cocaine were seized, an increase of 43 tonnes from the previous year. As for cannabis, a total of 668 tonnes were seized, an increase of 200 from the previous year. This suggests that roughly 2.6 per cent of the cannabis resin seized in Europe was seized by local authorities.

On cannabis, the report highlights concerns about the increase in THC being reported per sample. THC is the psychoactive chemical in cannabis, and the report suggests that the average sample has twice as much THC as the average sample did in 2008.

The report suggests that around one per cent of Europe’s adult population makes daily or almost daily use of the drug.

The cocaine market is now viewed as one of the main contributors to Europe’s problems with drug use. Besides the record amount of seizures, the report cites concerns over how cocaine purity now registers at anywhere between 53 – 59 per cent, the highest ever recorded since 2008.

Between 2014  and 2018, 22 EU countries reported an increase in first-time rehabilitation clients. The average cocaine user tends to use the substance roughly four times a week.

There was also a marked increase in the circulation of heroin and related substances known as opioids; 9.7 tonnes of heroin were seized over 2018, an increase of 4.1 from the previous year.

There are about 1.3 million high-risk opioid users in the EU, with the substance accounting for a majority of all fatal overdose cases. The agency registered a 10 per cent decrease in users seeking treatment. The average heroin user uses roughly six times a week, according to the report.

The organisation’s report highlights all-time highs for drug seizures, steady increases in purity of psychoactive ingredients and concerns of organised crime becoming more effective at infiltrating legitimate supply chains.

It  also points towards an increase in the market’s variety, with around 790 new psychoactive substances being monitored towards the end of 2019.

Concerns are also voiced about the increased proliferation of less common and uncontrolled substances such as ketamine, GHB and LSD. Ketamine and GHB are sought after for their sedative effects on the mind and body, whereas LSD is a hallucinogenic substance.

The report confirms that the average age for first use of substances such as cocaine and heroin hovers around 23 – 25.

The average age at which people first seek treatment for these substances is 34.5, meaning that users tend to seek help almost a decade down the line.

The report delves into how supply chains were affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. Although supplies were initially disrupted by initial lockdowns, the report shows how distributors and users alike both adapted to using the dark web or home delivery methods.

The agency also detected brief fluctuations in use as affected by the epidemic; due to restrictions of movement, use of ‘social’ drugs such as MDMA and cocaine was lower, along with an increase in the use of cannabis and benzodiazepines.

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