There seems to be an epidemic of cocaine use in Belgrade among young male professionals ages 30 to 50. To make matters worse, cocaine is often accompanied by alcohol.
According to Ivica Mladenović, head of the Clinic for Addictions at the Institute for Mental Health in Belgrade, ‘cocaine users are mostly men who have good jobs – such as bankers, lawyers and generally businessmen – who have to work very long hours and have numerous meetings during the day. They are also frequent alcohol users too and in order not to get drunk at work, they take cocaine. This psychoactive substance ‘helps’ them cope with long working hours and exhausting meetings,’ says Mladenović, adding that a gram of cocaine, which can be bought online today, costs between EUR 50 and EUR 120, depending on quality.
As the living standard has improved and the price of cocaine has fallen, this drug has become widely available and is frequently used by both young people and professionals. According to the survey “Risk behavioural patterns of young people – Drug abuse”, published in June, marijuana is the first drug of choice in Novi Sad, followed by cocaine.
(Kurir, 12.07.2022)
Photo credits: Profimedia
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