The impact of economic downturns on drug use is ‘complex and multifaceted’, according to research from the EU Drugs Agency (EUDA). The report highlighted that ‘young people and socioeconomically vulnerable groups are disproportionately affected during times of recession’ and concluded that understanding the effects of recession on illicit drug use remained under-researched. The review aimed to highlight gaps in research and raise questions.
‘Recent global events, including the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have caused volatility in the global economy,’ it stated. Against this backdrop, it looked at 25 studies up to 2020, mainly relating to Europe and the US, and produced a general picture of young and already vulnerable populations appearing to be most affected. Riskier patterns of use, such as switching from smoking or snorting drugs to injecting, were more likely during an economic downturn, and there were also signs of increased cannabis use.
This year’s European Drug Report confirmed overdose as being the leading cause of avoidable death among people who use drugs – around 6,400 people in the EU in 2022, or 7,000 including Turkey and Norway. Most were in their late 30s and early 40s and four out of five were male.
Opioids, mainly heroin – and usually combined with other substances – were the most commonly implicated drugs, linked to more than 80 per cent of overdose deaths. Other opiates, including methadone and (to a lesser extent) buprenorphine were also linked to high statistics in some countries, along with pain relief medicines containing opioids and synthetic opioids.
Highly potent synthetic opioids, mainly nitazenes, were identified in many recent overdoses – around half of the deaths in Estonia and a third in Latvia. Cocaine was identified in polysubstance use in an increasing number of drug-induced deaths in some countries.
The type of drug used and route of administration were identified as risk factors, alongside disruption of treatment provision. People recently released from prison with reduced opioid tolerance were particularly vulnerable.
The report gave special attention this year to suicidal intent, with a higher proportion of women than men suffering drug-induced death from this cause. ‘These findings highlight the need for more targeted interventions addressing self-harm and suicidal behaviour among people who use drugs, particularly women,’ it said.
Overdose statistics were highlighted across the world as part of Overdose Awareness Day, held each year on 31 August.