Drug culture

A total of 383 kg of drugs which were seized by the Bulgarian customs were destroyed on 23rd of May. These included 331 kg of marijuana, 2 kg of ecstasy, 14 kg of amphetamine, 27 kg of cocaine, 6 kg of heroin, and 3 kg other.

More than 15,000 Greeks die every year of smoking-related causes yet Greek smokers annually spend between 25 and 30 million euros in total to purchase tobacco products, a study presented by the Hellenic Thoracic Society has shown.

More people in Turkey are smoking despite recent government-initiated regulations and campaigns discouraging the unhealthy habit.

Ministry of Internal Affairs Secretary of State Raed Arafat said at the beginning of debates of the EU Drugs Coordinators Meeting this Tuesday that statistical data on drug use and related crime points to an "ever-growing illicit national market".

Greek Parliament on Thursday voted to open supervised drug consumption sites where people can use drugs with sterile injection equipment under the supervision of trained staff.
The legislation, presented by the health ministry, was voted with 229 votes in favour, 32 against and one "present".

Port authorities on the Ionian island of Corfu confiscated 55,400 8-gram canisters of laughing gas (nitrous oxide) on Wednesday.

According to the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (IAPR), the canisters containing the gas also known as "hippy crack" - as well as balloons containing N2O - were found in a warehouse owned by an alcoholic drinks trader.

Residents in the downtown Athens areas of Kypseli, Pedion tou Areos, Votanikos, Plaka, Exarchia, Kolonaki and other neighborhoods have sent a letter to the government and the municipal authority protesting plans for the creation of areas where habitual drug users will be able to safely inject narcotics under the supervision of trained staff.

Local act Markos Elektrik endows iconic tunes by rebetiko master Markos Vamvakaris with a progressive, rock 'n' roll vibe, using electric guitar, Rhodes piano, bass and drums. The band's show at Six Dogs starts at 9 p.m. and admission costs 8 euros.

Six Dogs, 6-8 Avramiotou, Monastiraki,
tel 210.321.0510, www.sixdogs.gr

New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis spent Christmas night with people who are following or have completed a drug rehabilitation program.

Mitsotakis took part in an open-ended discussion at a cafe in Vathis Square, where drug dealing and use are prominent.

Bulgarian studnets and young people remain at the top in Europe using amphetamines and anabolic steroids, according to data from recent drug surveys in EU countries.

The data is from a study among teenagers aged 15-16 years and adults up to 30 years old, BNR reports.