Disturbing statistics: a fifth of Lithuanian students have tried drugs, the offer is “practically possible even in the schoolyard”

The use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as a problem remains particularly acute today, said during a press conference the director of the Department of Narcotics, Tobacco and Alcohol Control (NTAKD) prof. Dr. Renaldas Čiužas.

According to him, it is worrying that narcotic and psychotropic substances begin to be used at school age.

One fifth of students try it at school

A study on the use of alcohol and other drugs in European schools conducted in 2019, which also included 2,400 Lithuanian students (aged 15 to 16 years), showed that 19 percent. have tried a drug at least once or twice. Of these, 21 percent. boys and 18 percent. girls.

The most popular drugs in their ranks are cannabis, also used for LSD, hallucinogens, ecstasy, cocaine.

4 percent of the country’s students fall into the category of high-risk cannabis use. A quarter of students say they are the easiest to get.

It is true that the number of students who used drugs at least once fell by two points compared to studies conducted in previous years.

“Young people use new psychoactive substances a little less frequently, whose effects are similar to those of traditional ones,” noted R. Čiužas.

Most young people consume mixtures of herbs and smoked substances in the form of liquids, less powder, substances in the form of glass tablets.

Lithuania exceeds the EU average in terms of the use of synthetic cannabinoids.

Synthetic cannabinoids are the most common on the market today. Its consumption in Lithuania reaches 4.5 percent.

“Although the figures seem small at first glance, it is really worrying, because Lithuania, based on the use of synthetic cannabinoids, exceeds the EU average, which is around 3.1 percent.

These are not just facts or naked figures that are eloquent, behind them, of course, are several human stories and it is worrying that these substances are being consumed very early, ”said R. Čiužas.

He also added that the responsibility also falls on parents and guardians, who must be vigilant and notice disturbing signs.

Easy access

According to R.Čiužas, there is currently a tendency to “go back” to “traditional” substances both in Lithuania and throughout Europe: there are fewer new drugs, more young people use traditional substances.

According to him, experts and doctors are deeply concerned that drug use and availability among students remains high.

According to him, “the supply is practically possible even in the schoolyard. <...> a bundle and the money used to pay for the service is left under the window ”, he gave an example.

“We no longer have risk factors for unknown substances, the consumption and availability of young people is worrying. Research shows that access to medicines is easy, ”he said.

And that raises questions about how to reduce accessibility and ultimately prevent it altogether.

It is also worrying that in Lithuania, as in other European countries, counterfeit drugs, such as Xanax tablets, which contain a dangerous new psychoactive substance, are appearing.

Supply is practically possible even in the schoolyard.

The use of counterfeit drugs represents a real threat to human health or even life.

What are the signs of drug use?

Head of the Toxicology Center of the Vilnius Republican University Hospital (RVUL), toxicologist doctor dr. Robert Badar told a news conference that many of his patients’ drug problems begin in adolescence.

“It just came to our notice then. I daresay it’s disturbing. And in some positions we are above the EU average, but there are positions in which we are leaders: I mean e-cigarettes. <...> the statistics are ruthless.

There is evidence that e-cigarettes are used not only for legal substances but also for illegal substances, ”he noted.

According to him, if the substances used are new, it is difficult to notice the change in behavior of young people for some time, but in the long run they become evident.

“Moods are changing, the night regime, attention, concentration, concentration is decreasing, the circle of new friends is appearing, the old interests of always are disappearing and little by little it seems that there is a shortage of money”, R. Badar called the signs of teenagers who use drugs.

May even contain rat poison

Toxicologist doctor dr. Mr. Badar pointed out that the supply of drugs is huge and misleading: drugs can be counterfeited and cause sudden death.

“Let’s understand what we are talking about, if those classic materials were ‘six sisters’, six, eight materials, then we are not talking about eight materials, we are talking about 800′,” he said.

He said that drug-using populations turned to classic substances when they began to realize the dangers of irresponsible experimentation.

“Very often, exotic additives, such as rat poison, are found in those substances; 95 fatal cases have been described. There was speculation about the purpose of this, and the truth turned out to be very pragmatic. It turns out that when they are added to cannabinoids, rat poisons stay in the body longer. <...> “The people who supply those things have no moral scruples, they don’t seem to have too much,” Badar said.

People who supply such things without moral scruples don’t seem to have too much.

According to him, the situation is a little better than before. However, it is improving too slowly. There is a need for a more active public education, for an explanation of what “innocent” appearance tests can end up with.

The problem is often ignored

According to Badar, the problem is usually negative.

This was also supported by the initiator of social projects, the leader of the “I am” community, the priest Kęstutis Dvareckas. According to him, too much energy is used to hide the problem when it could be solved at that time.

Without spending much effort, we are wasting resources on all kinds of makeups, images, after which we silently freak out and hope that it all ends here.

“We often hear denial from people themselves, from their environment, and sometimes on an institutional level,” he said. Often, the schools themselves deny that this problem exists in their institution.

“We are wasting a lot of effort and resources on all kinds of makeup, images, after which we are quietly afraid and waiting for it to end here,” he said.

The most direct way to solve the problem, he said, is to acknowledge it.

“Acknowledging the truth makes it easier to find the right tools, acknowledging the truth about an existing problem allows us to make the right decisions,” he said.

According to K. Dvareckas, there are also stories of success and recovery, but the solution to the problem is never quick, it requires patience and a lot of work.