Croatia reports near doubling of cocaine treatment cases

The number of individuals seeking treatment for cocaine use in Croatia has nearly doubled over a four year period, rising from 165 in 2020 to 309 in 2024. Public health experts and psychiatrists shared these findings during the National Reitox Academy in Zagreb, an event organized by the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) and the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA).

Krunoslav Capak, director of the HZJZ, noted that cocaine saw the largest relative increase in use among illegal drugs studied between 2011 and 2023. Research from 2023 indicated that 4.2 percent of people aged 15 to 34 and 2.6 percent of those aged 15 to 64 used cocaine within the previous year. Experts warned that cocaine is often used in combination with alcohol or other drugs.

Unlike opioid addiction, there is no comparable medication-based therapy for cocaine or stimulant addiction. Treatment relies primarily on psychosocial support, rehabilitation, and family assistance. Experts also highlighted the difficulty in identifying users, as many continue to function normally in society for years before seeking help.