New psychoactive substances or 'legal drugs', still among most frequent in Romania, over 10,000 problematic users in capital city

The number of Romanian drug users considered problematic has been on a downwards trend since 2007, but there are still over 10,500 problematic drug users in the capital Bucharest, found a recent report. These users have been taking injectable drugs, cocaine or amphetamines regularly, for long periods of time. Out of the 10,500 in Bucharest, over half – 55 percent – take heroin, while 43.6 percent use new substances with psychoactive properties (SNPP), as well as amphetamines, while 1.3 percent use cocaine, according to the National Report on Drugs. There was a switch among drug users from heroin, which was the main choice in 2007, to what is being sold as 'legal drugs' or etnobotanic drugs. Heroin was the main drug only for 40.5 percent of those who use injectable dugs. The report revealed that at their latest injection, 19.3 percent did not use a sterile syringe, while 20 percent said the syringe they used had been prior used by somebody else. The authorities managed to assist 5.6 percent more drug users in 2012 on the year before, or some 3,700 people. Meanwhile, 1,800 people were hospitalized for use of psychoactive substances, a 3.2 percent growth on the previous year. Cannabis use remains the most prevalent. The most problematic, however, were new substances with psychoactive properties or SNP because of the high number of cases continue to rise. The highest consumption of opium and SNPP were reported in Bucharest and its surrounding area of Ilfov. 'There is an increase in the number of counties where drug users are admitted for treatment for several types of drugs, and the high risk areas are around the larger university centres and at border areas,” according to the report. There is usually a delay of five to ten years between start of drug use and the moment the user asks for assistance. More people tend to start using drugs at a young age, 15 to 19, and 20 to 24, but the report underlined a tendency for more mature people – 25 to 39 – to start using drugs. The full report from the National Anti-Drug Agency is here (in pdf, in English). editor@romania-insider.com