Up to 400,000 drug users in Kosovo, mostly new age groups

Dr. Valdete Alidema-Serreqi- head of the Kosovo Psychiatric Association said drugs pose a major social-medical problem worldwide, and according to her, Kosovo is facing this problem.

According to the United Nations Office, for Drugs and Crime in 2020, nearly 275 million people are known worldwide, with 22 percent more from 2010. The number of cannabis users increased by nearly 18 percent between 2010 and 2020. In the world it is thought that the prevalence of the use of drugs in young people, compared to the general population, is twice as large, while when it comes to marijuana it is three times greater”, she said.

Health Minister Rifat Latifi said that currently, in Kosovo, there are no comprehensive assessments or many representative data on the exact number of drug users, but from the data presented by health institutions, security institutions and NGOs, dealing with issues, show us that drug use has increased and that, according to him, this is also an epidemiological indicator, which needs to be taken care of.

About 30,000 440,000 users of drugs, which are estimated to be in Kosovo by all communities and groups of different age groups, with dominance by young age, is too much for a small country like we are at”, he said.

He said that to prevent and address this phenomenon, the comprehensive national strategy has been drafted, which is the product of participation of all relevant institutions, but, according to him, success in its implementation can only be achieved by co-operation and co-ordination of the efforts of all active parties.

The MS's commitment to the future is to the development of the Book for Sedgy carried through drugs such as those spread with viral blood and hepatitis (through research), with particular emphasis on prevention, damage reduction and treatment, respectively, rehabilitation. Here we need a multisectal co-ordination and close co-operation with the drug observatory at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Education, and with civil society organisations, because, the drug problem, it's not an individual problem of citizens, but a whole problem of community and state, and in this way we have to treat”, Latifi said, among other things.

Dr. Merita Berisha of the IKSHPK said surveillance and control of drug addiction, as well as prevention of this phenomenon, requires multidisdisciplinary and multisectal commitment, requires extension of measures and actions throughout the entire life cycle. According to her, this requires real-time data and refunctioning the populist drug registry.

She also noted that IKSHPK uses other activities of awareness; such as Tobacco Day; then meetings at schools, curriculums, topics and other research that are related, so that, according to her, drugs can be discussed.

Prime Minister Dr. Yusuf Ulaj, in terms of awareness of citizens in the problems that cause drugs, according to him are parents, and then institutions responsible.

So he said he should focus on psychoeducation, early identification, so that the treatment of drug abusers can begin.

Dr. Samire Braina-Shefe of the RSV Department at the Psychiatric Clinic, said there is an increasing trend in Kosovo of drug use, especially among teenagers.
She said that so far, for 2022, treatment has offered 79 patients, while in 2021 in the same period, said treatment has required 54 patients, which, according to her, represents a considerable increase of drug users in Kosovo.

Safet Blakaj from NGO “Labyrinth” says that based on the EU report on drugs, the situation is alarming and dangerous.

This report is expressed in three words: “Everyone, Everything and Everywhere”, which represents the use of large-scale drugs”, he said. He also expressed concern that cocaine is being processed in EU states, which, according to him, poses a great threat to our country.

Dr.Ajet Bulnjak-Charge of the Department I The PFK, said that in the IPFK, currently of 24 patients who are under the measure of non-discretional psych treatment, 12 of them have committed domestic violence, and according to him, 5 of these persons are drug abusers.

He said that it is necessary to establish an institution that specializes in addiction diseases so that such individuals can be treated in the most adequate way possible.