Greece is Among Europe’s Leaders in Cannabis Consumption
A researcher at the University of Athens told the media that the rates of cannabis smoking in Greece’s capital are among the highest in the European Union. Nikos Thomaidis, who is a professor of analytical chemistry, cites the data gleaned from the wastewater samples. Greek authorities provide this data to the European Monitoring Center for Drugs.
According to Prof. Thomaidis, Athens ranks 5th or 6th in the prevalence of cannabis use. This corresponds to 10% of the whole Attica population being active users. Smoking cannabis is especially popular in Southern Europe, some cities in the Netherlands, as well as Paris and London.
Seasonal Fluctuations and COVID-19 Impact
The analysis of wastewaters allows researchers to deduce even more details of cannabis consumption. Thus, it goes up in winter and down in summer. There were also marked changes due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The presence of cannabinoids in sewer water declined between March and September 2020. A similar trend was observed in other European cities and attributed to the disruption of trafficking due to lockdown measures. Starting in October 2020, the rates of weed consumption in Athens began to creep up and reached a peak in March 2021, according to available samples.
Softening Cannabis Policy
Like most European countries, Greece has yet to legalize the recreational use of cannabis, but for the police, prosecuting individual consumers is a low priority. The authorities have also downgraded the drug from a Class A to a Class B substance.
Besides, the 2017 law legalized the medicinal use of the plant and its active constituents. At first, the production of medical cannabis was banned, but after a year, this restriction was lifted. There’s also a booming CBD-oil industry in Greece, withCBD shops ubiquitous throughout the country.
