A new study suggests young Norwegian adults have the highest rate of cocaine use in Europe. Not so surprising, perhaps, given Norwegians’ party culture, relative high earnings or money from home, and access to the illegal white powder.
The son of Norway’s crown princess has been in the news for years because of his own cocaine use and the problems it’s caused. He’s far from alone, according to a new report from the EU’s narcotics bureau EUDA (external link). Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) picked up the report Tuesday morning and was airing it throughout the day.
The “young adults” are defined as 16- to 30 years old who reported their own drug use over the past 12 months. It was found to be highest in big cities and used most often during weekends. The young adults claimed it was most common to snort cocaine in connection with drinking alcohol, and that there was lots of cocaine use during high school graduation festivities known as russ.
It’s also become easier to acquire cocaine, “just a Snapchat click away,” one former police officer told NRK. Norwegian prosperity has further boosted the market for cocaine, which has arrived in the country via banana crates and by other smuggling means.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
