More cocaine in Bolzano than in Milan, ketamine growing strongly everywhere: the analysis of waste water from the European Union Agency for Drugs shows how drug consumption is changing

Here are the data with the maps if you are interested: Wastewater analysis and drugs — a European multi-city study

However, in Italy the data is quite lower than in other areas in Europe =)

What do the sewers of European cities tell us? More than you might imagine. Second wastewater analysis conducted by the European Union Drug Agency on approximately 115 cities in 25 countries offers a precise and updated snapshot of drug consumption in 2025. The picture that emerges is clear, with ketamine growing strongly, cocaine constantly expanding, cannabis stable, while MDMA declining. Within this scenario, Italy observed through Milano and Bolzano shows peculiar characteristics that distinguish it from the rest of the continent.

In Bolzano more cocaine than in Milan

The most surprising data concerns cocaine and demonstrates how even smaller entities can surpass large metropolises: in Bolzano consumption increased by over 29% in one year, overtaking Milan where the level remains high but more stable. The highest levels are recorded in Western and Southern Europe, with real hotspots in Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain. Overall, consumption is growing strongly. Between 2024 and 2025 loads increased by 22% and more than half of the cities monitored recorded an increase. Consumption remains strongly linked to free time, with peaks at the weekend in most of the cities monitored.

Ketamine grows more than anything

If there is one substance that has dominated 2025, it is ketamine. The data shows a 41% increase in just one year and increasing diffusion in the majority of cities. The highest levels are once again found in central-western Europe, but the phenomenon is more fragmented than with other drugs, with some cities where the substance is practically absent. Also in this case, consumption is strongly linked to the weekend and the recreational dimension, but the rapidity of growth suggests a change in the preferences of European consumers, especially in nightlife contexts. In Italy, however, the phenomenon remains limited. In Milan and Bolzano the levels are much lower than in Northern Europe, far from the concentrations recorded in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.