EU drug agency report shows rising cocaine use in Austria and surge in synthetic drug production in Poland

The European Union Drugs Agency’s 2026 report highlights a sharp increase in cocaine consumption across Austria, with wastewater tests detecting the drug in both large cities such as Vienna and smaller towns. Consumption of ketamine is also rising, especially among youth and club scenes, while cannabis remains the most widely used illicit substance in Europe. The report records at least 7,600 drug‑related deaths in the EU over the past year, 188 of them in Austria, and notes that a new psychoactive substance is discovered each week.

Poland is identified as the leading producer of synthetic drugs in the EU, and the report flags a growing availability of cocaine and a surge in novel psychoactive substances, including powerful synthetic opioids. Organized criminal groups are linked to the expanded production, and the number of new substances monitored now exceeds 1,000, with 50 newly detected in 2025 alone. Authorities warn that small quantities of these new synthetic opioids can contain thousands of lethal doses.