France: Cocaine usage doubles due to work pressures
Cocaine usage in France has doubled as the workplace pressures drive demand, according to the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Trends (OFDT).
RFI reported on January 15th that the number of cocaine users is now over 1.1 million, pushing France up to seventh place among European nations for cocaine use.
The report by the OFDT stated that “the evolution of working conditions” has led the drive in demand, citing restaurant workers coping with intensive schedules and fisherman dealing with tough conditions.
Despite the price of a gram of cocaine remaining relatively stable over the last decade, the purity of the drug now tests at 73% compared to 46% in 2011, meaning its significantly stronger.
The prevalence of cocaine has also risen with French authorities seeing a 19.4 ton increase in cocaine seizures, reflecting record global production levels.
Production in the key states of Columbia, Bolivia and Peru have also doubled between 2010 and 2022.
The report marked that the highest increases in cocaine usage is in young adults.
Despite the rise in cocaine usage, cannabis remains France’s most consumed illegal drug.
However, MDMA and ecstasy use has also surged from 400,000 to 750,000 users between 2019 and 2023. Heroin experimentation has also risen by 500,000 in the same period.
The report noted that changing attitudes have contributed to the spread of cocaine as it is seen as far more familiar and less dangerous than twenty years ago.
RFI also reported that the OFDT recent study calculated the social cost of drug use at 7.7 billion euros. The report reinforces the failures of France’s drug laws despite attempts to crack down on cocaine use.
RFI
