Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the European Union, followed by amphetamines, according to a new report from a European Union agency released Tuesday.
"Cannabis remains the most commonly used illegal drug throughout the European Union," said the annual report of the Lisbon-based European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction."Depending on the country, 5-8 percent to 20-30 percent of the population have at least tried the drug at some time in their lives," the report said. "However, its use is usually occasional or intermittent, rather than frequent," it added.
It said that in most EU countries, amphetamines were the second most frequently used illegal drug, generally tried by up to 3 percent of adults.
Heroin created the most problems for authorities, as measured by the demand for treatment, drug-related deaths and infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
"In almost all countries, heroin is the main drug among those starting treatment (generally 70-95 percent), while the proportion injecting the drug ranges from 14 percent to around 90 percent, generally lower than the figures reported last year," the report said.