Young Czechs "lead " in marijuana, ecstasy use - EU report

Drug crime is rising in all EU countries except for Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Luxembourg, and Slovenia. In the whole of the European Union drug crime increased by some 29 percent on average from 2002 to 2007, according to the report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction.

A total of 2023 crimes connected with drugs were reported in the Czech Republic in 2007. In the previous years, the figure was 2200-2300 a year.

Unlike other EU countries, in the Czech Republic marijuana does not figure in the highest number of drug delicts though Czechs are its frequent users. Young Czechs aged under 24 years smoke marijuana most of all in Europe.

In most European countries crimes connected with marijuana made up 55-85 percent of drug crimes in 2007, the EMCDDA report says.

In the Czech Republic drug crimes connected with the production and distribution of pervitine (methamphetamine) prevail (almost 60 percent).

National Anti-Drug Centre (NPC) chief Jakub Frydrych previously said the Czech Republic is the largest producer of pervitine in Europe. The drug is being made mainly in small production units all over the Czech Republic.

Last year the NPC uncovered 434 pervitine production units, and in 2007 it was 388.

The number of marijuana-related crimes in the EU has increased by 23 percent on average, and it has declined only in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Slovenia, the EU report writes.

According to the NPC, the number of hemp (marijuana) planting units has been rising in the Czech Republic.

Last year the police revealed 79 big roofed hemp planting units, which is much more than in 2007 when only 34 were revealed.

The police seized almost 400 kilogrammes of marijuana in total in 2008.

The EMCDDA report also shows that the number of cocaine users has been rising in Western Europe along with the number of heroin-addicts who seek treatment.

Drug Monitoring Centre head Viktor Mravcik admitted that cocaine consumption is rising mainly in show business circles in the Czech Republic as well.

A total of 44 percent of young Czechs under 24 have ever smoked marijuana, compared to the EU average of 30.5 percent. Almost 15 percent of Czechs aged under 34 have used ecstasy, while the EU average is 6 percent, according to the EMCDDA report.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz