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EMCDDA director: We must protect anti-drug-abuse policies

Lisbon, Oct 1 (EFE), (Camera: Cynthia de Benito).- The global health and economic crisis unleashed by Covid-19 should not affect anti-drug policies, which must be protected so that everything is not even worse, the head of the Lisbon-based European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) Alexis Goosdeel said during an interview with Efe.SOUNDBITES OF ALEXIS GOOSDEEL, EMCDDA DIRECTOR:"For example, we have seen an increase in cannabis and also drugs —mainly Benzodiazepines— consumption, but also in alcohol consumption, many times along with Benzodiazepines and cannabis. There is also another group of drugs which are normally associated with recreational use, such as ecstasy or cocaine. We see that during the first two months (of lockdown), when there were severe restrictions on mobility, there was a decrease in consumption that can also be explained by the fact that for people who are under lockdown in a small place, with other people or who are difficult circumstances, consuming stimulants is not precisely what helps the most." "The pandemic has had a very negative impact on the mental health of citizens, not only those who were already drug consumers. We have realised now that there is a problem as a consequence of anxiety in many groups and this is something which will not disappear."