Consumption of cannabis and psychoactive substances has increased

This year, until December, in Romania, the policemen from the Organized Crime Fighting Directorate seized almost a ton and a half of heroin, almost 900 kg of cocaine and over 400 kg of cannabis.

Experts point out that the consumption of cannabis and psychoactive substances has increased recently, and consumers are younger than before.

RRA reporter Catalin Radu spoke with Victor Nistor, who is the chief police commissioner.

Victor Nistor: All the large quantities caught in Romania, in recent years, have been in transit, they were not destined for the Romanian market. Like other countries in Europe, Romania is also targeted by trafficking routes, having access to the Black Sea port in particular and being on the classic Balkan route, which departs from Afghanistan, Iran, through Turkey to Bulgaria and Romania, to the west of Europe, regarding the heroin routes. If we compare ourselves with the surrounding countries, strictly regarding the fight against drugs, our point of view is that we are currently doing very well.

Catalin Radu: Chief Police Commissioner Victor Nistor believes that Romania is not ready for the legalization of soft drugs, and some associations demand this. He says that these measures should be taken gradually, to prepare the health and education system through which people should be aware of the danger of exposure to drug use and only then can a variant be adopted, not necessarily to legalize them, but to decriminalize the use for certain categories of soft drugs.

Translated by: Radu Matei