A new study has revealed that drug use in England surges during bank holiday weekends, heatwaves, and major sporting events, with the Eurovision Song Contest ranking among the most drug-fuelled nights of the year. Scientists conducted tests at 15 water treatment plants across the country in 2022, analyzing over 1,700 water samples. They found particularly high levels of cocaine and ketamine linked to seasonal changes and weekends.
Key Findings
The analysis showed that drug use was more prolific during England’s World Cup football matches, summer heatwaves, and the late Queen’s platinum jubilee. The Eurovision Song Contest, held annually in May, was associated with rises in cocaine, ketamine, MDMA, and methamphetamine.
Professor Leon Barron, who leads a team at Imperial College London’s Environmental Research Group, said the findings will help emergency services prepare for drug-related incidents and bolster public health messaging. "This really tells you what to focus on," he explained. "People overdose from all sorts of illicit drugs, and if there’s a particular event that is repeatable each year, you can let emergency services know that this is a night where we could see more drug overdoses or more drug-fuelled behaviour."
Weekend Peaks and Daily Use
The findings, published in the journal Addiction, revealed that cocaine and MDMA use peaked at weekends, although cocaine was prevalent throughout the week. At 15 testing sites, the equivalent of about 12 tonnes of cocaine was detected over the year. Ketamine use was higher at seven sites than at any other European site under monitoring. Researchers searched for 20 different compounds in wastewater, including Class A drugs like MDMA and heroin, as well as cutting agents and breakdown products.
Professor Barron noted: "People are using it every single day and to the same degree, no matter whether it’s a weekend or a weekday. It’s becoming very routinely used, and it’s really quite a worrying situation."
Impact of Seizures
The research also highlighted the impact of drug seizures on consumption levels. A seizure of 3.7 tonnes of cocaine in Southampton in March 2022 caused a decrease in use across three cities for a month. The National Crime Agency (NCA) reported that ketamine use and related harms have increased significantly in recent years, particularly among 16 to 24-year-olds.
A government spokesperson said: "Our crackdown on drugs is having a real impact. We’ve strengthened our border security to tackle the criminal gangs putting lives at risk. Around 5 tonnes of cocaine have been seized by Border Force at just one port in less than a month – depriving criminal gangs of more than £400m worth of drugs. We will continue to work across health, policing and wider public services to drive down drug use and stop those who profit from its supply."
