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Health news

'It's getting cheaper': Drug use disorders increasing globally

A new UN report said the number of people suffering from drug use disorders had skyrocketed in the last 10 years.

Europe News

'We never had so many drugs smuggled or produced in Europe' - report

The annual study released by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) warned that the use of illegal substances is a concern to the health of people on the continent, as well as its security.

Health news

US approves new drug for 'aggressive and hard-to-treat' form of cancer

US regulators approved a new drug used to treat an aggressive form of lymphoma, Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche announced on Friday.

Syria

How did Europe help Syria become a major narco-state?

Captagon, a little-known upper, creates three times more trade for Syria's regime than the Mexican cartels combined, according to official figures.

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Health news

UK launches €46.5m project to tackle obesity with weight loss drugs

The UK is pouring millions into a programme to tackle obesity with weight loss drugs such as Wegovy.

Portugal

Portuguese authorities seize a tonne of cocaine on a yacht

Authorities in Portugal say they intercepted a sailing boat from Latin America on Tuesday evening carrying around a tonne of cocaine.

Health news

Xylazine: Flesh-rotting ‘zombie’ drug claims first victim in Europe

The first death in the UK linked to the “zombie” drug xylazine raises concerns over the shifting origin of opioid supplies in Europe.

Health news

Move over, CBD: HHC is the new ‘legal cannabis’ causing concern

After the boom of CBD, authorities worry about HHC, which can be ingested, smoked or vaped, with effects similar to those of cannabis.

World News

Fentanyl has devastated America. Why is Europe being spared?

While fentanyl continues ravaging the US, the European illegal drug market has remained somehow shielded from the deadly synthetic opioid. Is that about to change?

Italy

Italian police dogs find 2,700kg of cocaine hidden in banana crates

The seized cocaine was of the finest quality, according to Italian police, and would have earned drug traffickers more than €800 million in street sales in Armenia, where it was destined.

World News

Dark web drug dealers targeted as Europol arrests 288 suspects

Dark web drug dealers were targeted by an international police operation that saw almost 300 people arrested and millions of dollars in drugs seized.

Portugal

Portugese police find 4.2 tonnes of cocaine in banana shipment

The intercepted haul destined for European markets is thought to be worth around €100m.

Culture news

French courtroom auctions off drug dealers' luxury goods

Think you've seen it all at auctions? Well, a French courtroom has auctioned off drug dealers' designer goods. Among the items up for grabs were Gucci sneakers, Dior silk pyjamas, Rolex watches, and a flashy white Lamborghini.

Singapore

Singapore executes man accused of coordinating cannabis delivery

Singapore on Wednesday executed a man accused of coordinating a cannabis delivery, despite pleas for clemency from his family and protests from activists that he was convicted on weak evidence.

Health news

3,000-year-old human hair provides first proof of drug use in Europe

The unusual finding of human hair in a cave in Menorca has provided the first direct evidence of the use of plant drugs by people in Europe.

Italy

Italian authorities seize 'record' cocaine haul floating in the Med

Police suspect that the packages had been dropped at sea by a cargo ship to be recovered later.

Culture news

The purr-fect crime: Police detain woman smuggling drugs and a kitten

After detaining a "mother" whose "child" aroused suspicion in the Russian city of Nizhny Tagil, police instead discovered a kitten dressed in baby clothes and a diaper, stuffed away with five packs of powdered methylephedrine, a prohibited stimulant.

Europe News

Germany presents scaled-back cannabis legislation proposal

Germany has revised its plan for cannabis liberalisation following talks with the European Union.

Culture news

Putting the E in Easter: Drug bunnies seized in Belgium

Chocolate rabbits are a delicious Easter treat for children all around the world. But some bunnies seized in Belgium are far less kid-friendly...

Culture news

Rap star Coolio died of fentanyl overdose according to coroner

'Gangsta’s Paradise' rapper Coolio suffered an accidental death from the effects of fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine last year, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.