Hard drug use surges in France

A surge in consumption

France is experiencing a significant increase in the use of hard drugs. According to recent reports, cocaine, heroin and ecstasy are increasingly being used.

Cocaine: A rising rate

Between 2010 and 2022, cocaine-related emergency room visits tripled, reaching 23,335 cases. In 2022, approximately 72 emergency room visits per week were recorded. Men aged 32 on average account for 75% of cases. The most affected regions are French Guiana (44.1 per 100,000), Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (40.8) and Occitanie (27).

Polyconsumption and complications

33% of cocaine users also have alcohol intoxication. Benzodiazepines (9.6%), cannabis (9.5%) and opioids (4.8%) are often used simultaneously. Complications include cardiac (chest pain, tachycardia) and psychiatric (anxiety, schizophrenia) problems.

Increase in seizures and production

Cocaine seizures reached record levels, with 27 tonnes intercepted in 2021, up 44%. Global cocaine production also increased, contributing to increased availability on the European market.

Soaring consumption

In 2023, nearly one in ten adults (9.4%) in France has used cocaine at least once in their life, compared to 5.6% in 2017. Current use, defined as use in the last 12 months, has experienced an exponential trajectory, increasing tenfold between 1992 (0.3%) and 2023 (2.7%). This spectacular increase reflects a worrying trend of democratization and trivialization of cocaine in French society.

Aging of cannabis users

For three decades, cannabis has remained the most widely used illicit drug in France. With a price ranging between 8 and 10 euros per gram, its experimentation rate has increased from 12.7% in 1992 to 50.4% in 2023, or one in two adults. Regular use has remained stable since 2014, affecting 3.4% of adults in 2022. A notable trend is the aging of consumers, with more and more adults aged 40 and over continuing their use.

The Explosion of Heroin Consumption

Heroin use in France has also seen a notable increase. Data shows an increase in seizures, with a record amount of 1.5 tonnes seized in 2021. In 2023, 0.8% of adults had used heroin at least once in their life, compared to 0.3% in 1992. This surge highlights a worrying spread in the use of this hard drug.

Ecstasy: Growing popularity

Ecstasy use is also increasing. In 2023, 5.6% of adults had experimented with the drug, compared to 3.1% in 2017. Recent use (in the last 12 months) increased from 0.9% in 2017 to 1.6% in 2023. This increase reflects the growing popularity of ecstasy, particularly among young adults.

Ketamine, GHB and 3MMC

The study by the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Trends (OFDT) now includes ketamine, GHB/GBL and 3MMC. In 2023, experimentation with ketamine reached 2.6% among adults aged 18 to 64, mainly young people aged 25 to 34 (4.8%). This drug, sold in powder or crystal form for 40 euros per gram, is often purchased on the "darknet". For 3MMC and GHB/GBL, experimentation rates are less than 1%, but these substances are popular in "chemsex" practices to increase sexual pleasure and endurance.

Conclusion

The increase in the use of hard drugs in France, including cocaine, cannabis, heroin, ecstasy, ketamine, GHB and 3MMC, highlights an urgent need to strengthen prevention efforts. On ama-prevention.fr , you will find essential tools and resources to raise awareness and prevent these uses, support people in difficulty, and direct them to support structures. The fight against the trivialization of these substances requires better information and collective mobilization.