Unlike other goods, the price of cocaine has remained the same or decreased. This means that it is easier for ordinary people to buy it. Unfortunately, the number of overdoses is also increasing.
Prosecutor General Raigo Aas said that the price of cocaine has fallen because production in South America has increased. The product is easier to market, which is why prices are dropping.
Cocaine prices are the same or lower, but people's incomes have increased. This makes cocaine even more accessible to regular consumers.
The number of overdoses has increased in both Estonia and Europe. Most often, the victims are people who use multiple drugs at once.
The use of synthetic opioids is also a major problem. Nitazenes and other new substances are spreading rapidly. Some of them are not yet on the list of banned substances.
Aas said that the danger of new substances is high. Users do not always know what substance they are consuming. This increases the risk of overdose.
Cocaine mainly reaches Estonia from Europe. People bring it in by car or bus.
The Prosecutor General said that the situation has worsened over the past five years. Synthetic opioids remain a major problem.
Aas hopes that the number of drug-related deaths will decrease. Last year there were a hundred deaths. This year the number could be below a hundred.