Image: VOLKER WEIHBOLD
The truth comes to light at the sewage treatment plant. Since 2016, the forensic toxicology laboratory at the University of Innsbruck has been taking samples from the wastewater inflow from Austrian cities. Laboratory tests provide information about the drug consumption of Austrians.
In a European comparison, we are still in the middle field – none of the 16 Austrian regions examined occupies a top position in the international ranking.
Consumption habits are distributed differently within Austria. Upper Austria’s third largest city, Steyr, stands out as one of the Austrian leaders in crystal meth consumption. According to the report, more methamphetamine was only found in the wastewater from Wiener Neustadt.
According to the report, the generally dominant drug in urban areas remains cannabis. On average, 11 grams of THC per 1,000 inhabitants were smoked daily.
Cocaine consumption is becoming increasingly widespread in Austria. According to study leader Herbert Oberacher, head of the forensic toxicology laboratory, the amount of cocaine residue is increasing every year. In 2023, 1.3 grams per 1,000 inhabitants were detected. In the west of the country, consumption of the drug was higher than in eastern Austria. Higher values in wastewater on weekends would also suggest the consumption of intoxicating substances as “party drugs,” says Oberacher.
Measures in Kufstein
The evaluation is also important for authorities and politicians in order to be able to react early to trends in the consumption of illegal drugs. The head of the study cited the Kufstein police as a “best practice example”. Based on the wastewater study from 2022, they have taken measures to curb drug abuse. This included an offensive in schools and training for officials by the State Criminal Police Office (LKA). The federal capital Vienna also uses the study data to assess current and future challenges surrounding substance use, says Oberacher.
Meanwhile, the federal capital is well behind comparable European cities such as Amsterdam, Barcelona or Prague. For the Vienna coordinator for psychiatry, addiction and drug issues, Ewald Lochner, the data can be interpreted as a “positive sign for functioning drug policy”.
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Source: Nachrichten
