Blakaj: Drug use is increasing in Kosovo, marijuana and cocaine are the most widespread

Safet Blakaj, founder of the "Labyrinth" Addiction Counseling and Treatment Center in Pristina, stated that drug use is increasing in Kosovo and that marijuana is the most widespread narcotic, followed by cocaine, while the number of heroin addicts is declining.

Blakaj presented data showing that the types of drugs being used in Kosovo are changing, while their geographical spread is becoming increasingly widespread.

“Over the past eight years, heroin use has declined. During the last five years, cocaine use has increased, and of course marijuana, which has spread across the entire territory of Kosovo, including rural areas. Cocaine use is particularly concerning, as the situation could completely get out of control,” Blakaj warned in a statement to Kosovo Online.

He pointed out that the most complex situation is in Pristina, where cocaine use is most prevalent, along with other drugs.

“Drugs arrive in larger cities and then spread to other areas. In Pristina, there are also other types of drugs similar to cocaine, such as methamphetamines and amphetamines. Amphetamines are particularly worrying. They are highly dangerous drugs that quickly create addiction, and those who use them tend to be very aggressive,” the expert explained.

Asked about systemic measures to address the problem, Blakaj said that ensuring high-quality treatment is essential.

“Treatment in Kosovo is provided through public institutions such as the Psychiatry Clinic in Pristina, the Labyrinth Center, and other private facilities. It is important that treatment be as effective as possible, but we have problems with prevention programs. There is no national program covering the entire territory that is aimed at young people, not only in schools but also those outside the educational system,” Blakaj said.

According to him, drug users are becoming increasingly younger.

“When it comes to the youngest users, this is not our biggest concern because those are isolated cases. We have seen individuals aged nine, eleven, or twelve, but these are exceptional cases. Most users are young people aged 14, 15, or 16, and occasionally 17,” Blakaj said.

He added that new drugs are not yet widespread on the Kosovo market.

“We have been monitoring the market for 20 years. If you mean new drugs, or designer drugs, there are not many of them. In the United States, Canada, and to some extent in England, fentanyl is the major problem. Fentanyl became so widespread and so dangerous in America that presidents, specifically Donald Trump, reacted to the issue. I hope it will not reach us, but over the last five years we have occasionally used fentanyl testing. This drug quickly causes addiction and leads to overdoses. Croatia has reported two registered cases, there are none in Serbia, and so far none in Albania or Montenegro. These are very dangerous drugs, which is why preventive measures should be taken in case they appear here so that we can respond in time,” Blakaj said.

He added that the Labyrinth Center has been monitoring drug prices in Kosovo since 2000 and noted that lower prices usually indicate greater availability on the market.

“Until recently, a gram of cocaine cost €80. Over the last two years, the price has fallen, which means there is a greater supply of the drug. Heroin used to be very cheap ten years ago. We are now very satisfied because cases of young people starting with heroin are rare. There are several types of marijuana circulating on the black market. Marijuana from Albania is cheaper, but it does not sell well. Marijuana from Europe has arrived and is three times more expensive, yet everyone wants it. That is interesting. If we look at it per gram or per joint, one joint costs €10. The marijuana coming from Europe is three times more expensive and of very high quality. It contains a higher percentage of THC, roughly twice as much as the domestic variety,” Blakaj explained.

Speaking about what institutions can do to remove dealers from the streets or prevent drug use, Blakaj stressed that punishment alone cannot be the answer.

“You cannot simply punish people and expect everything to be resolved. Other measures must also be applied. A culture has spread throughout Europe in which cocaine is seen as harmless and as something used only by wealthy people. That was never true, either now or in the past – everyone has started using it. It is also interesting that the number of women using cocaine is rising sharply compared to other drugs. Ten to twelve years ago, women accounted for about 7.3 percent of those who came to Labyrinth seeking help for addiction treatment, but that number has now increased significantly,” Blakaj said.

He estimates that Kosovo has slightly more than 40,000 drug users, although a distinction must be made between drug users and problematic drug users.

“Problematic drug users are defined as those who use any drug more than three times a week, develop addiction, have conflicts with the law, and are unable to care for themselves or others. The rest are occasional users, but they are serious candidates to move into the problematic category. Out of the 40,000 drug users in Kosovo, around 12,000 are problematic users. The time required for a drug addict to recover varies from person to person. However, a person is generally considered recovered if they have remained drug-free for nine months,” Blakaj concluded.