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Date Published: 16/10/2024

Cocaine and cannabis in Murcia use reach highest rates for a decade

Use of alcohol and amphetamines are also on the rise post-pandemic

The use of substances such as cocaine, cannabis, alcohol and amphetamines are experiencing a clear increase in the Region of Murcia. With rates far exceeding those recorded over the past decade, Murcia is encountering a problem with drug usage.

In a survey published by the Epidemiology service of the Ministry of Health, it was found that of the 1,500 people surveyed, 6.5% had admitted to using cocaine during the previous year. 4.6% admitted to trying it during the previous month. A decade ago, the consumption rates in the Region ranged between 3.9% and 2.9%.

As for cannabis, 8.4% of the population between 15 and 64 years old used this drug regularly in 2012. Ten years later and this number has skyrocketed to 15%. Now, with the publication of the Ministry's full report, the penetration of the different drugs in the Region of Murcia can be analysed, and the trends are clear.

Alcohol use

After the pandemic, consumption has increased across the board. Alcohol is now consumed more or less regularly (having had a drink once during the month prior to the survey) by at least 70% of the population of Murcia. In 2018 the percentage was 59.3%.

Furthermore, 14.5% of men and 8.5% of women are risk drinkers (srinking that results in a blood alcohol content of .08% or more), when before the pandemic the percentages were 10.6% and 3.5%, respectively.

Rise in cannabis and cocaine use

As for cannabis, it was discovered that 4% of people smoke joints daily. This figure coincides with the ministries report that cannabis and cocaine use is on the increase. 44.5% of people in Murcia between 15 and 64 years old have tried hashish or marijuana at some point. A decade ago, that percentage was 28.1%. 4.1% of the population smokes joints daily, when in 2012 only 1.7% suffered from this level of addiction.

Men continue to consume hashish much more than women. 22.1% of Murcia men had tried it in the year prior to the survey, compared to 9.9% of women. By age, the rates are especially high in those under 34 years of age: one in four consumes joints regularly.

The rise in the use of cannabis is a result of people believing it is a low risk drug. Many young people believe that its levels of dangers are similar to that of tobacco. The general director of Public Health, José Jesús Guillén, has stated this is why it is difficult to fight against.

Some key findings from the survey itself are that 67.9% of those who consume hashish or marijuana are in favour of legalising it, and 41.3% of those who do not consume these substances are in favour of this measure.

However, only 20% of the population would support legalising the rest of the drugs that are currently illegal. This shows that the perception of risk is greater, for example, in the case of cocaine.

In fact, 94.8% of people in Murcia correctly consider that consuming cocaine is a risk even if it is done only once a month, or less. In the case of cannabis, the percentage drops to 61.9%. However, 82.4% believe that smoking joints every week can cause many or quite a few problems.

Although the increase in substance use is also perceived in other communities after the pandemic, the truth is that the trend is more marked in the Region of Murcia, at least in relation to cannabis or cocaine.

Cocaine use has tripled in those aged under 34. 7.6% of those under 34 admit to having taken cocaine in the last year (in the case of men it exceeds 10%), which triples the rate recorded in 2018.

As for cannabis, 12.4% of Murcia students, (aged 14-18) smoke joints more or less regularly (at least they had tried them once in the month prior to the study).

Amphetamines and ecstasy use

Furthermore, amphetamines were consumed in the last year by 2.4% of the population (4.7% in the case of men under 34 years of age), and ecstasy has been tried by 2.8% of the population in the last twelve months (6% in the case of young men).

A recent report from the Murcian Health Service (SMS) shows a clear increase in emergency care for acute reactions following the use of cocaine (from 201 cases in 2014 to 348 in 2021), cannabis (from 180 to 319) and alcohol (from 195 to 319). In total, the Emergency Services recorded 1,151 cases in 2021 for patients who had adverse reactions after the consumption of psychoactive substances, which represents an increase of 57% compared to 2014.

Tobacco use on the up

Finally, the use of tobacco is on the rise in Murcia. 36.6% of the Murcia population between 15 and 64 years old smokes daily, according to the latest Survey on Alcohol and Other Drugs (Ages). This is a higher rate than that recorded a decade ago, when 34.4% of the Murcia population declared themselves smokers.

Former managing director of the Murcian Health Service, Asensio López, said the data is "disappointing" because it reflects "that consumption is increasing" despite all the prevention policies implemented.

The statistics show a decrease in consumption between 2012 and 2018, but from then on there has been an upturn. Added to this is the end of the possible effects of the Anti-Smoking Law of 2010, when smoking was banned in many closed spaces.

Therefore, as a way to attack tobacco use, the Ministry plans to raise the price of all types of cigarettes, the expansion of the spaces in which smoking would be prohibited, the extension of the bans on conventional cigarettes to electronic cigarettes and the subsidisation of cessation therapies.

For more information, news and what's on visit our homepage at Murcia Today

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