The latest study analyzed samples from 27 Finnish cities and their surrounding areas last year, and samples were followed in March from Helsinki, Espoo, Turku and Tampere.
Amphetamine levels in samples taken from the capital and surrounding areas were equivalent to 1,000 milligrams per thousand inhabitants per day in March – a new record.
In addition, a new international study has found that amphetamine use in Finnish cities is exceptionally high compared to other European countries.
The European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction’s (EMCDDA) annual wastewater analysis study, published on Tuesday, analyzed the amount of drugs in wastewater samples collected from 82 cities in 18 EU countries.
Amphetamine use was highest in the cities of Zagreb, Croatia, and in the cities of Gävle and Sandviken, Sweden, while the Finnish cities of Lahti, Kemi and Helsinki ranked sixth, tenth and ninth in terms of per capita drug use.
Kouvola, Kotka, Kuopio, Vaasa, Rovaniemi and Espoo were also among the 20 cities that consumed the most amphetamines compared to the population.
At the same time, the use of recreational drugs such as cocaine and MDMA is declining, possibly due to coronavirus restrictions, as in the THL study.
Tahira Sequeira
Helsinki Times