Kosovo cocaine use increased, major concern for minor involvement

Executive Director of the Medico-Psycoterapeusetic Centre “Labyrinth”, Safet Blakaj, has raised concerns about increasing cocaine use and lowering the age of users in Kosovo, stressing that trend is on the rise and affecting minors as well.

Blakaj, in an interview for Online Economy, has indicated that during the first three months of this year there have been no substantial changes compared to last year, but a slight increase in the number of people seeking assistance has been noted.

This three-month-old “so there was no essential difference from the past year, but it's like to say that you notice a tendency to increase the number of users, at least the number who ask for our help. Age of drug use, we already speak naturally of marijuana that is everywhere scattered in Kosovo, as well as elsewhere in the region, and so on, but cocaine is what worries us a lot. So we've noticed the first three months that there's a slight, very easy but with an ongoing tendency, the growth of cocaine users. Here again, there is a particular emphasis on the decline in the age of starting cocaine to younger people. That's what they told me about this three months. Among them are under the age of 18 called minors. This is bothering us when we're talking about cocaine”, he said.

Blakaj stressed that early use often starts with cannabis, while the cocaine transition is taking place more and more rapidly, with increased doses and frequency of use.

Of course those who are many, who start a lot earlier, are mostly beginning with cannabis, or marijuana. This is a very disturbing problem because some of them have recently appeared in rural areas. And that tells us what's going to increase cocaine use. The form of use concerns us in cocaine as well as in that young people are starting to grow dosage and the everyday use of cocaine. This quickly causes dependence. The difference between five years ago when it was 35-45 is now 25-35, with a tendency to reduce the age of cocaine use. The main problem is it's cocaine”, he said.

Blakaj also warned against other synthetic drugs, such as amphetamines and methamphetamines, which he held may spread because of the lowest price.

Of course we can follow the risks to other drugs. And we're based on the region, and we're thinking that there's a problem with some other drugs that are also stimulating, so they look a little like cocaine. What is amphetamine and methamphetamine. And these drugs are a concern because they can quickly knock on our doors. Why? Because they're obviously cheaper than cocaine. So cocaine is half synthetic. These two that I mentioned are completely laboratory or chemical. That's the difference, too, the similarities are obviously cheaper. We're also thinking that if you replace cocaine, then you're going to be one or both in Kosovo. That is the concern that can quickly wait for us”, he said.

Blakaj stressed the lack of real prevention programmes and the need for greater institutional intervention, especially among young people.

We are very interested in prevention. That's why we've been trying to highlight prevention and the importance of prevention for years. Of course, there are several institutions in Kosovo that offer services for treatment of addicts, or drug users. Like psychiatric clinic, private sector, Labyrinth and so on. The quality of the services, of course, leaves to be desired. But we don't have real prevention programs. Or have a clear, compiled programme to be implemented in the entire territory of Kosovo. Specially dedicated to young people. It's not just about school. Because a large number are also not part of the” education system, he said.

He also brought a disturbing clue to a large category of people outside the educational system and the labour market who, according to him, are most endangered.

“Let's say a record, for example, 72 thousand people, according to the Kosovo Statistics Agency, aged 15-55, are completely working, not in education systems, education or re-qualification. They don't have any other activity, so they're totally 24 hours free. That's that category, I think, that's bringing us problems, and it'll bring us more. It should be given that this number seems to be huge, but for us in Kosovo it is too big. Prevention practices, they can be absorbed, maybe some of the European agencies are helping us with the sense of state. Europe's drug agency is also expressing interest in some kind of research, so I get into some kind of research on what we do to prevent drugs. And it's very important today to launch, with no effect after five years of”, he said.

In the end, he stressed that despite some pilot training with psychologists and social workers, Kosovo remains delayed in preventative interventions and sought greater support for early identification and intervention in young people.

We've been working on something, for example, we've had some training with school psychologists and social workers. In fact, this has been more like a pilot, because they are only in the Pristina region. So that school psychologists themselves directly conduct several interventions that have the capacity, they saw them, two weeks ago we had a three-day training and we saw that they have some knowledge, but they don't have the practical knowledge of drugs. And these are possible to continue training that they were able to make early identification, drug users in schools”, he said.

Blakaj stressed that we must intervene quickly.

These things we can do, we need support that directly affects students who are suffering or endangered. That's extremely important, they can't do it around us, but we're not only interested in talking about schools that are other components, but also affecting those students who are predisposed about drugs, or those who are, just started. These can be done without calling them anywhere, somewhere in treatment. This is one of the forms that can be done in Kosovo. If we're serious, Labyrint, other public institutions, even funding these prevention campaigns, I think we're late. Delayed, because it takes time for me to notice the effect”, he said./eo/