Drug threat keeps growing
Greece is one of the European countries where drug use is on the rise and the number of drug-related deaths in the country has reached alarming levels, according to a report by the European Union drug agency which was made public yesterday. The number of deaths in Greece in 2003-2004 from drug use reached 80 people per 1 million inhabitants, which is double the EU average and seventh highest in the 25-nation bloc. The report by the European Monitoring Center for Drug Addiction found that increased demand and falling prices are fueling drug use in the EU. Cannabis remains the most widely used drug, with some 20 percent of Europeans saying they have tried it at least once. The use of amphetamines is also on the rise, the survey found. Ecstasy is the second most popular drug in Europe, despite the large difference in its price across the EU. An ecstasy pill in Greece costs 15-25 euros compared to just 3 euros in Poland, according to the report.