EU Drugs Agency warns of new health risks, including a rising trend in ketamine use

The ‘European Drug Report 2026: Trends and Developments', covering 29 countries, including the EU-27, Norway and Türkiye, paints a picture of an illegal drug market with growing diversity, higher-potency substances and new methods of consumption.

“The facts we see in the report show an alarming picture. Cocaine is more available today than ever before. Whereas the volume of cocaine intercepted in Europe decreased by more than 20% in 2024, the seizures rose to 97,000,” said Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner.

The Commissioner highlighted the human cost of drug use, with at least 7,600 overdose deaths in 2024. Opioids remain the leading cause of fatal overdoses. Increasingly, however, deaths involve multiple substances.

The EUDA detected 50 new psychoactive substances in 2025, adding to 1000 substances already monitored by the agency. The EU’s Early Warning System is being strengthened with support for additional forensic and laboratory capacity, but the situation is constantly evolving and authorities are playing catch-up.

“Drug markets are evolving at speed, with the variety of substances on Europe’s streets becoming ever more unpredictable,” said EUDA Executive Director, Dr Lorraine Nolan. “This raises the risk: people may be taking high-potency drugs, often without knowing it.”

Nolan emphasised the need for better preparedness and improved access to life-saving opioid agonists, such as naloxone, which can block the brain’s opioid receptors.

One of the most striking developments is the emergence of vaping and e-cigarette devices as a vehicle for new synthetic opioids. While e-cigarette use is now common among adolescents in Europe, the EUDA has seized vapes containing synthetic and semi-synthetic cannabinoids in several EU member states.

Ketamine-related problems quadruple

According to the report ketamine is becoming more embedded in Europe’s drug landscape. The latest European analysis of municipal wastewater showed that ketamine residues increased in 40 of the 66 cities for which data were available for 2024 and 2025.

“Our report highlights growing health concerns linked to ketamine. Although treatment entry remains low, it has quadrupled in recent years, [...] Yet awareness of the risks often remains low among recreational users,” said Nolan. “Frequent ketamine use can lead to dependency and severe bladder damage.” EUDA worries that the market is evolving faster than awareness and response systems.

According to an EUDA study, the ketamine in circulation comes from legitimate production, particularly from India. It is legally imported, largely via Germany, before being diverted for illegal use. Most cases are reported by six EU countries, likely reflecting a longer history of availability and higher illicit ketamine use in some parts of Europe.

Cannabis

Cannabis remains Europe’s most widely used illicit drug, with an estimated 24.9 million adults reporting use in the past year. However, the market is changing with growing imports of high-potency herbal cannabis from Canada and the United States, driven by oversupply and falling prices in North America. Authorities seized around 21 tonnes of herbal cannabis in both Rotterdam and Antwerp ports during 2025, much of it originating in Canada.

The agency says that synthetic and semi-synthetic cannabinoids are increasingly appearing in edible products and vaping devices, creating new risks for consumers and raising concerns about uptake among younger users.

Cocaine and crack cocaine

Cocaine is Europe’s second most commonly used illicit drug. Around 4.3 million adults used cocaine during the past year, while wastewater monitoring showed increased cocaine residues in a majority of surveyed European cities. 74,000 people seeking treatment cited cocaine as their primary drug.

“Our analysis estimates that 2.5 million young adults used cocaine in the last year,” said Nolan. “Most worryingly, there is growing evidence that some young people, particularly those living in deprived communities, are being actively groomed and recruited by criminal networks involved in drug trafficking and supply.”

The total volume of cocaine seized had gone down, but there is a rise in the number of seizures, with criminal groups increasingly using smaller ports, drones, semi-submersibles and at-sea transfers to evade detection and availability remains high. Nolan said that production in Europe was also on the rise.

“A balanced approach is essential, tackling both supply and demand,” she said. “As well as being grounded in science, it must also be focused on human rights and public health.”

Commissioner Brunner said that the report provided an important evidence base that would feed into European Council discussions next week.