World Cup 2018 – Drug Facts – Day 5 Croatia
Cannabis is the most commonly used drug in Croatia. A 2015 survey indicated that approximately 2 out of 10 adults aged between 15 and 64 years have used cannabis. Most cannabis use in Croatia is concentrated among young adults aged between 15 and 34. The same study highlighted that approximately 2 in 10 younger adults aged 15-24 years used cannabis during the last year, while approximately 2 in 100 of the same age group had used amphetamines, the most commonly used stimulants, in the last 12 months. Moreover, males were generally found to use illicit drugs more frequently than females.
Croatia is primarily a transit country because of its proximity to the southern leg of the Balkan route. In the past, this route was used primarily to smuggle heroin that originated from Afghanistan; now, other illicit drugs and precursors are smuggled via the same route to and from Western Europe. Cannabis is also grown domestically mainly for personal use, however the majority of cannabis products, mainly herbal cannabis, reportedly originates from Albania. Cocaine which traditionally comes from South and Central American countries, is trafficked into Croatia by sea or land from Western Europe. Amphetamines and other synthetic stimulant drugs are primarily smuggled from the Netherlands and Belgium.
As of 15th October 2015, the Ministry of Health officially legalized the use of cannabis-based drugs for medical purposes for patients with illnesses such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, or AIDS. In January 2015, it was decided that cannabis in Croatia would be decriminalized for personal use and legalized for limited medical uses.
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