DRUG ABUSE TRENDS IN EUROPE AND IN SERBIA

Year 2017, Volume: Volume 2 Issue: İssue 1 (1) - 2.İnternational Congress Of Forensic Toxicology, 217 - 217, 16.02.2017

Vesna Matović

Abstract

Widespread
recognition is that drugs, together with organized crime, jeopardize peace,
security, and development of the world. Despite increased attention to drug
demand reduction in recent years, drug use continues to take a heavy toll.
Today, the European drug markets continue to change and evolve rapidly; both
the variety and the quantity of new psychoactive substances on Europe’s market
are still increasing. In 2014, over a hundred new psychoactive substances were
detected, mainly from the chemical groups of synthetic cannabinoids,
piperazines, cathinones, pyrovalerones etc. Risk assessments were conducted on
six new drugs. However, the „classic“ drugs are still widely used in Europe and
according to EMCDDA 5.7 % of European adults aging 15−64 used cannabis in 2014.
This drug is also accounted for 80 % of seizures and for over 60 % of all
reported drug law offences in Europe due to its use or possession. Rather stable
situation is with cocain, amphetamines and ecstazy and even opioids, with
heroin as the most common opioid on the European drug market. In the same year,
1.3 million problem opioid users was registered and furthermore opioids were
found in 66 % of fatal drug overdoses. Drug abuse trend is similar in Serbia:
all surveys have shown prevalence of marijuana with the tendency of more
balanced results between urban and rural vicinities, and high percentage of
young users. Estimated number of injecting drug users in Serbia is about 25
000, and according to data from the general mortality register heroin is the
main cause of death, alone or in combination with alcohol, bensodiazepines or
other substances.

 

This work was partly financially supported
by the Ministry of Science and Technological Development (Grant No. III46009. 

Keywords

DRUG ABUSE TRENDS IN EUROPE AND IN SERBIA

References

• Vesna Matović
• Department of Toxicology “Akademik Danilo Soldatović” Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade