International online survey on drug use begins in Estonia

TALLINN - The National Institute for Health Development is conducting an online survey in Estonia in a bid to obtain a more accurate picture of the frequency of use of drugs, quantities, ways of obtaining drugs, causes of use and other aspects related to drug use.

People who are at least 18 years old and live in Estonia, and who have used drugs at least once in their lifetime, are welcome to participate in the survey. The survey looks at cannabis products, cocaine, ecstasy/MDMA, amphetamine, methamphetamine, ketamine, new psychoactive substances and heroin. Participation in the survey is anonymous and voluntary. The questionnaire is located in the EUSurvey environment and is available in Estonian, Russian and English. 

"As drug use is illegal and often hidden from society, it is necessary to use a variety of research methods to obtain an objective picture of the situation. An online survey, which gives us the anonymous voice of drug users, is one of the valuable pieces in getting the real picture and understanding the problem," said Katri Abel-Ollo, researcher and head of the drugs unit at the National Institute for Health Development. 

The online survey is coordinated by the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and it is conducted simultaneously in 36 countries in Europe and Southeast Asia. The data collected will be used to assess the drug market, drug users' choices, patterns and frequency of use at local and EU level, and will serve as a basis for the planning and development of prevention activities and interventions. The results of the survey will be made public in the first half of 2025. 

The EMCDDA online survey is repeated at two or three-year intervals. The study was carried out for the first time in 2016. Estonia participated in data collection for the first time in 2018 and then in 2021.

The questionnaire in Estonian can be found at https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/EWSD2024-Estonia?surveylanguage=ET , in Russian at https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/EWSD2024-Estonia?surveylanguage=RU  and in English at https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/EWSD2024-Estonia .

The questionnaire can be answered within approximately five weeks starting Tuesday.