Europe is facing a fast-growing and dangerous drug crisis, with increasing cocaine use, fake opioids, and a rise in synthetic cannabis, according to a new report from the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) released on Thursday, June 5th.
The agency’s latest review paints a grim picture: record cocaine seizures, lethal synthetic opioids disguised as medicines, and criminal groups outpacing law enforcement.
Officials say it’s time to move beyond simply tracking drug use and focus more on prevention, treatment, and policing. “We need to build the capacity to be prepared for treatment,” said EUDA director Alexis Goosdeel, warning that addiction services across Europe “are not ready.”
Heroin is still a problem, but synthetic drugs are quickly catching up. The Taliban’s 2021 opium ban in Afghanistan has disrupted heroin supplies, leading many users to turn to synthetic opioids—a group of highly potent drugs already causing deaths in parts of Europe.
And Europe is no longer just a destination for imported drugs. It’s also becoming a manufacturing centre, with 34 cocaine labs shut down in 2023. The booming trade is driving a rise in gang violence and drug-related crime.
