Dangerous trend: Cannabis used for self-medication and cocaine consumed with alcohol

TALLINN - A study by the National Institute for Health Development (TAI) points to dangerous consumption trends, where cannabis is used for self-medication and cocaine is taken with alcohol.

The anonymous study involved people aged 18 or older living in Estonia who had used drugs at least once in their lifetime. The web survey used a convenience sample. A total of 2,208 respondents were included in the analysis.

The aim of the study was to obtain more detailed information about the socio-demographic background of drug users, the substances used, quantities, methods of use, drug prices, methods of acquisition, reasons for use, and the health effects associated with drug use. The study data can also be compared with similar surveys from 2018 and 2021.

The most common drugs remain herbal cannabis, amphetamine, cocaine, and ecstasy. Ninety-seven percent of respondents had used cannabis in their lifetime, with 42 percent having used it in the last 30 days. According to the results of the 2024 survey, the use of most drugs in the last 30 days was lower than in 2021. The use of cannabis and LSD had decreased the most, from 52 percent to 42 percent and from eight percent to three percent, respectively.

"The higher figures in 2021 were most likely due to the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting increased stress levels in society, which people tried to alleviate with drugs," commented Katri Abel-Ollo, head of the TAI's drug department.

Cocaine had been used by 11 percent, amphetamine by 12 percent, and magic mushrooms by four percent, with usage remaining at a similar level to 2021.

The initial analysis of the 2024 survey focused on cocaine and cannabis use. The main reasons for using cocaine were mentioned as entertainment, socialization, as well as staying awake and reducing the effects of alcohol. The co-use of cocaine and alcohol is very common, with 88 percent of users having consumed cocaine with alcohol on their last occasion of use.

"When cocaine is used with alcohol, cocaethylene is formed in the body, which intensifies and prolongs the effects of cocaine but is harmful to health. The co-use of cocaine and alcohol can damage the liver and kidneys; increase heart rate to dangerous levels; cause high blood pressure and risk of stroke; increase aggressiveness and the risk of suicide; and cause cardiac arrest and sudden death," listed Katri Abel-Ollo, outlining the greatest risks of cocaethylene to a user's health. "Cocaethylene also takes significantly longer to leave the body than alcohol or cocaine alone. Its effect on the body is exhausting, and the potentially life-threatening effects last for 12 hours after the co-use of the substances," she specified.

The primary reasons cited for cannabis use were stress relief and achieving a high. In the last 12 months, 68 percent of respondents had used cannabis to alleviate a health problem, i.e., for so-called self-medication purposes. The most frequently mentioned reasons were coping with sadness and depression, anxiety and mood swings, as well as sleep problems, concentration difficulties, and the need for pain relief. Fourteen percent of those surveyed admitted to cannabis addiction. Among cannabis users, 33 percent were classified as high-risk users. Half of the cannabis users responded that they had experienced negative health effects related to cannabis use in the last 12 months, such as anxiety, panic, memory problems, concentration difficulties, heart and blood pressure problems, and so on. The vast majority of respondents who acknowledged health problems related to cannabis use did not seek medical attention.

The average age of the web survey sample was 29, with 53 percent of respondents being men and 44 percent women. Compared to the 2021 survey, there was a noticeable increase in the proportion of older age groups (35-44 years old), as well as women and participants with higher education in the sample.

Of the people who participated in the web survey, 77 percent had used drugs in the last 12 months, including 57 percent in the last 30 days, and 23 percent more than 12 months ago. Of the users in the last 30 days, 44 percent were poly-drug users, meaning they had used more than one drug.

The web survey, "European Web Survey on Drugs," was conducted from May 21 to June 25, 2024.