Perspectives on Drugs

The last decade has seen cocaine establish itself as the most commonly used illicit stimulant drug in Europe, with an estimated 2.5 million young adults (aged 15–34) using the drug in the last year. Overall, powder cocaine is the most common form of the drug used, and high levels of use tend to be concentrated in a relatively small number of western European countries (e.g. Denmark, Spain, Ireland, Italy, the United Kingdom). Crack cocaine use and its associated problems, is reported by a limited number of countries, and often overlaps with the use of heroin and other substances. Although many users of cocaine will not experience problems, a minority will suffer acute adverse effects that may result in them receiving help from emergency services.