Cocaine Use Nearly Doubles in France

Cocaine use in France has surged, nearly doubling to 1.1 million users in 2023, according to a new report from the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT). This increase places France seventh in Europe for cocaine consumption, driven by factors including record global production levels and changing perceptions of the drug's danger. The United Nations reports that Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia produced 2,700 tonnes of cocaine in 2022, significantly up from 1,134 tonnes in 2010. Additionally, evolving working conditions have led many, particularly in the catering and fishing industries, to use cocaine to cope with demanding workloads. The purity of cocaine has also risen, reaching 73% in 2023, while its price has remained relatively stable at €66 per gram. French authorities are responding to this crisis, having seized 23.5 tonnes of cocaine in 2023, compared to 4.1 tonnes a decade earlier.