Estimations show that there are some 900,000 casual drug users in Romania, and most of them prefer cheap drugs, according to Gigel Lazar, director of the International Centre for Drugs and Human Rights (CIADO Romania).

“There are approximately 900,000 casual drug users in the 14-64 age category. We can consider them casual drug users because they used such substances once, twice, or three times. For this reason, no figures are given at European level either, as it hard to calculate it, being a hidden business,” said Lazar, reports local Mediafax.

Marijuana is the most popular drug among casual consumers in Romania, followed by ecstasy, amphetamine, and methamphetamine. “Cocaine consumption is lower because this drug is more expensive than gold,” Lazar added.

In March this year, Gigel Lazar said that only 10 of the 105 high schools in Bucharest are drug consumption free.

An ESPAD (The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs) study released in 2016 showed that almost 11% of Romania’s teenagers aged 16 use illicit drugs. The number is lower than the European average of 17.8%. More boys consume drugs (13.6%) compared to girls (8.4%).

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com