Health authority warns cocaine poisoning cases doubled in France

RT
Fri, 11 Aug 2017 11:49 UTC

A French health and medicine authority issued a warning to citizens after the number of reported cocaine poisonings doubled in one year.

The French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM) issued the warning Friday, citing a "worrying increase" in reports from addiction centers who noted an increase in the number, and severity, of cocaine poisonings recently.

The data showed that the number of reports of cocaine poisoning doubled between 2015 and 2016, and ANSM noted that, "this increase continues to be seen for the year 2017."

The agency said while a definite explanation for the increase is still unknown, a national survey of addict centers is under way in an effort to determine the cause.

A possible reason behind the year-on-year spike could be because cocaine is increasingly "pure," which means the doses could have higher concentrations, the agency speculates. It has also become more readily available, the agency says.

Some 2.4 percent of young adults in the country used cocaine in the last year, according to France's national drug report for 2017, compiled by the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug addiction. This compares to 4 percent in the UK. Cannabis remains the most widely used illicit substance in France,

ANSM encouraged health professionals to stay extra vigilant to the symptoms of cocaine poisoning which include, moist skin, dilated pupils and tremors.

Cocaine poisoning can lead to various health problems ranging from high blood pressure to a stroke or coma, the agency warns. Hallucinations, anxiety and paranoia are also known side effects.

Reader Comments

slbeaudry · 2017-08-12T12:34:17Z

A warning over cocaine poisoning? Is that like E. Coli in the lettuce or??? I don't understand the point of the story. Is the cocaine poisoned with something other than the cocaine itself, or is this an overdose problem? The story makes very little sense SOTT. Take this tidbit: "because cocaine is increasingly "pure." That won't happen. The street term is that it would be "stepped on" and the reason is the same that crack exists, profit. "Pure" cocaine is less profitable. If the cocaine was not stepped on it may be more dangerous because it would be more concentrated but it would be more expensive and the reality is that drug peddlers aren't in the habit of providing higher doses at the same price. Something does not add up here.

slbeaudry · 2017-08-12T12:54:08Z

slbeaudry "moist skin, dilated pupils and tremors." Sounds like any upper available on the market, including Red Bull. I really don't understand the story's place on sott at all. Drugs are bad, but cocaine is very expensive. Is the French drug abusing populace doing quite well? Burning dollar bills and snorting too much cocaine? I doubt it. So... Also, why the terming of cocaine poisoning versus overdosing. This sounds like alcohol poisoning, which is really just over-drinking. Alcohol is poison, so is cocaine, but when one is using these things recreationally it's not really poison (it's a drug) and when one takes too much for their system, it's an overdose. My point is that the term cocaine 'poisoning' is so strange to me, especially when the press says it's because it's too pure. My god. Pure cocaine? Really? That's dubious. And poisoning? Like, are they misusing it? Was it mis-labelled under the sink. Whoops, too much cocaine! Better cut back.

slbeaudry · 2017-08-12T12:57:08Z

Ah, here it is: "Some 2.4 percent of young adults in the country used cocaine in the last year, according to France's national drug report for 2017, compiled by the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug addiction. This compares to 4 percent in the UK. Cannabis remains the most widely used illicit substance in France." Cannabis is not cocaine. This story is total shite.

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Health authority warns cocaine poisoning cases doubled in France

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