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International
Drug Use
America Vs. Europe
The following chart and maps show an unfortunate reality: America, when compared
to European nations, is in the top five countries for almost every national
measure of drug abuse. And while some European countries show up in the top five
more often than others, none do as consistently as the U.S. This offers an opportunity
to understand what works and what doesn’t for different societies and potentially
find ways to fix our own.
A LOOK AT DRUG-RELATED ARRESTS
The U.S. has a reputation of harsh law enforcement practices
and criminal penalties when it comes to drug use,
possession, or sale. Unsurprisingly, it ranks high on the list
of total drug-related arrests – placing at No. 2 overall. However,
it pales in comparison to Spain – ironically, a country
in which drug possession is no longer a criminal offense.
This shows the massive challenge Spain faces as a port of
call for smugglers of all types of drugs from all around the
world – even Canadians have been arrested while trying to
bring illicit substances into Spain.
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COMPARING COCAINE USE
When it comes to previous-year cocaine use, the U.S. is tied
for first place with Spain, a nation having a drug crisis of its
own. Spain and Portugal offer an interesting contrast: Both
decriminalized possession of all drugs, “soft” and “hard,” in
the last decade, concentrating on civil fines and treatment
for users while reserving jail time for dealers.
While Portugal has been a success story and a model for
other countries, including Spain and Italy, Spain’s success
has been decidedly mixed. A number of differences between
the two countries – such as Spain’s decentralized government,
which allows regions to set their own drug policies,
and its long coastline facing drug smuggling routes from
North Africa – show there is no one-size-fits-all solution to
drug abuse.
PEOPLE IN TREATMENT FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE
As seen on the maps above, the U.S. may have a much larger
problem with many drugs than most European countries
– but encouragingly, a significant portion of people are getting
help for their addictions as well. Compared to countries
which have also shown significant problems with drug use
among the public, such as Spain and Estonia, Americans
appear to be more active in seeking out and/or receiving
treatment: 75% higher than the runner-up, Malta. Unfortunately,
the number of people who are treated for drug abuse
and addiction is still dwarfed by the staggering number of
people who are using drugs to begin with.
YEARLY DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS BY NATION
When it comes to yearly deaths by drug overdose, the U.S.
is in the company of Estonia, a Baltic nation where the
dangerously powerful opioid fentanyl is smuggled in from
Russia. However, it should be pointed out that these statistics
rely on death certificates issued by doctors, and studies
have shown that there can be substantial variations in what
doctors report on death certificates, both on a cultural and
individual level.
AVAILABILITY OF TREATMENT FACILITIES
The U.S. is near the middle of the pack when it comes to the
number of substance abuse treatment centers per capita.
However, keep in mind that this statistic does not take into
account the number of patients per center, which can vary
from country to country and is not available for many countries.
Ireland, infamous for its stereotype of alcoholism,
does have many alcohol drinkers as seen on earlier maps,
but likewise has many rehab centers to help them – about
39% more than the runner-up. Slovakia also ranks high
on this list due to the nation’s numerous publicly funded
opioid substitution therapy centers.
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