Crack is not only used in Brussels and amphetamines are not popular in Wallonia, while ketamine is experiencing a sharp increase. These are just some of the findings from a new drug study by the Sciensano health institute, which will in future be searching for traces of illegal substances in wastewater throughout Belgium.
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Health institute Sciensano identifies Belgium’s most popular drugs thanks to wastewater
Colin Clapson
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During the pandemic Sciensano tested for the presence of coronavirus particles in wastewater. In this way the health institute hoped to measure how the virus was spreading.
Since then, the mapping system has been expanded to detect influenza and other diseases. From now on, Sciensano will also monitor wastewater for traces of illegal drugs nationwide.
New opportunities
As part of a study conducted by the European Union Drugs Agency in collaboration with wastewater treatment companies in Belgium and Antwerp University, samples from 17 stations across the country were examined.
‘This is a scientific measurement that provides information that we cannot obtain, or can only obtain with great difficulty, from other data sources,’ explains Maarten Degreef, drug expert at Sciensano. Until now, drug use has mainly been mapped out on the basis of surveys, hospital records and police figures.
Unlike surveys, this method does not depend on what (potential) users say about their own drug use. It therefore provides a more objective picture of actual drug use and is an important addition to existing data.
Which drugs stand out?
The results of the wastewater tests seem to confirm what previous research already revealed. Higher values are recorded in urban areas including Antwerp, Brussels and Liège. This can be explained by, among other things, the high population density, many entertainment options and larger student populations.
The Sciensano report also looks at individual drugs. It shows, among other things, that cocaine is present in Belgian wastewater everywhere in the country. The levels of this drug are higher at the weekend, probably due to the more intensive nature of Belgian nightlife during this part of the week. The same applies for MDMA i.e. ecstasy. This drug is more common in Flanders and Brussels than in Wallonia.
Particularly popular in Flanders are amphetamines like speed. What is striking here is that there is no clear pattern of use, which means that the drug is used both regularly and occasionally, for example when going out on the town. Less popular in Wallonia, but more so in Flanders and Brussels, are methamphetamines.
Ketamine, on the other hand, is found in almost all installations. Previous research conducted five years ago showed that the drug was not yet so widespread, so there has been a clear increase.