The annual report of the EU’s official drugs monitoring agency, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), warned that a “marked rise” in the purity and potency of some of the most commonly used illicit drugs ˗ cannabis, cocaine and Ecstasy - was observed last year.
Researchers said the reasons for this trend are complex but appear to include “technical innovation” and “market competition”.
The plethora of new psychoactive substances (NPS) ˗ often referred to as “legal highs” ˗ shows no sign of abating.
The report said a total of 101 new drugs were reported to the Europe-wide early warning system ˗ a rate of two every week.
It brought the number of substances being monitored by the agency to more than 450, with more than half that number identified in the last three years alone.
Cannabis remains the most widely used illegal substance in Europe, with an estimated 19.3 million adults admitting taking the drug in the last year.
However, surveys in countries including the UK suggest decreasing or stable prevalence in cannabis use in the last decade.
In a “crowded” stimulant market, cocaine is the most commonly used drug, the report said, with around 3.4 million people taking it in the previous year.
An estimated 2.1 million adults used Ecstasy in the last 12 months, most of whom were aged between 15 and 34.
Joao Goulao, chairman of the EMCDDA management board, said: “This 20th analysis of the European drug phenomenon demonstrates how much has changed since the EMCDDA’s first report in 1996, and how much the agency has enhanced understanding of this issue.
“The complexity of the drugs problem is now far greater, with many of the substances featured today virtually unknown to users two decades ago.
“The boundaries between old and new drugs are also becoming harder to define, as novel substances increasingly mimic controlled drugs.”
Experts also highlighted reports of an increase in opium production in Afghanistan and signs of innovation in the heroin market, including the detection of processing laboratories inside Europe for the first time in decades.
EMCDDA director Wolfgang Gotz said: “Today we see marked increases in opium production in Afghanistan and a diversification both in products traded and in trafficking methods and routes used. This is compounded by the fact that crucial stages of the heroin manufacturing process are now being carried out inside Europe.
“Any potential for a resurgence of heroin problems is worrying and close monitoring of the situation is critical.”