Cocaine Surge Is Public Health 'Time Bomb,' EU Drugs Chief Warns.

EUROPEAN Union; COCAINE; PUBLIC health; SEWAGE; DRUGS; DRUG traffic; FINANCING of public health

The head of the European Union drugs agency, Alexis Goosdeel, has warned that Europe needs to prepare for the public health consequences of increased drug use, particularly cocaine, and the resulting rise in drug trafficking-related violence. Goosdeel predicts that it will take at least two to three years to see the broader impact on Europeans' health, which will put pressure on countries' budgets. The EU has experienced a significant influx of cocaine, with an increase in seizures and evidence of increasing consumption. The EU Drugs Agency has taken on an expanded mandate to address these challenges, including developing threat assessment capabilities and an expanded alert system. The report also highlights concerns about the emergence of new psychoactive substances and the rise of synthetic opioids. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Bloomberg.com is the property of Bloomberg, L.P. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)