Markets, products, users: recent trends (2011-2012)

The analysis of the data from the 13^th TREND survey (2011 and early 2012) and the scheme's various components serves to highlight a series of changes. 

This issue of Tendances takes stock of four aspects. The first discusses changes in the main illegal drug markets, which have experienced significant shifts in terms of purity and price for several substances (heroin, cocaine, MDMA). 

A rise in herbal cannabis cultivation in Europe and the emergence of NPS (New Psychoactive Substances) are also new phenomena. 

The next section examines questions directly linked to users: routes of administration, and especially an increase in "chasing the dragon", and worsening social and health situations for the most socially fragile users. 

Finally, the last two sections are dedicated to certain products (crack, freebase, ketamine and methamphetamine), whose spread and/ or accessibility should be monitored along with their substitution treatments.