European Drug Report 2023

This report is based on information provided to the EMCDDA by the EU Member States, the candidate country Türkiye, and Norway, in an annual reporting process.

Globalisation in the operational methods used by organised crime groups appears to be an important facilitator of high drug availability in Europe. There is evidence of a closer involvement of European drug producers and traffickers with international criminal networks, resulting in more resilience in the flows of illicit drugs into and out of the European Union.

Various countries in South America, West and South Asia and North Africa remain important source areas for illicit drugs entering Europe, while China and India remain important source countries for new psychoactive substances, with India’s role possibly becoming more important for some substances. Drug precursors and related chemicals are also often reported to be sourced from China.

• Cannabis remains by far the most commonly consumed illicit drug in Europe.
• Cocaine is, after cannabis, the second most commonly used illicit drug in Europe.
• Heroin remains Europe’s most commonly used illicit opioid and is also the drug responsible for a large share of the health burden.

Amphetamine, methamphetamine and, more recently, synthetic cathinones are all synthetic central nervous system stimulants available on the drug market in Europe.

The market for new psychoactive substances is characterised by the large number of substances that have appeared in this area and that new compounds continue to be detected each year.

Alongside the more well-known substances available on illicit drugs markets, a number of other substances with hallucinogenic, anaesthetic, dissociative or depressant properties are used in Europe: these include LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms, ketamine, GHB and nitrous oxide.

https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/european-drug-report/2023_en