WP 3

There are signs of increased use of crack cocaine in Europe, as consumption appears to be spreading from highly marginalized users to other groups. Similarly, there has been an increase in the number of treatments for cocaine use in Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom. The presence of specific crack cocaine biomarkers in wastewater in Italy has been reported, yet to date there has been no Europe-wide investigation about their levels in wastewater. By developing a comprehensive analytical method, by conducting thorough stability testing and by carrying out a broad sampling campaign, EuSeME aims at providing further insights about the consumption of crack cocaine, and its relation to conventional cocaine use, in various locations across Europe.