Country overview: Cyprus
- Situation summary
- Data sheet
- Barometer
Contents
- Drug use among the general population and young people
- Prevention
- Problem drug use
- Treatment demand
- Drug-related infectious diseases
- Drug-related deaths
- Treatment responses
- Harm reduction responses
- Drug markets and drug-related offences
- National drug laws
- National drug strategy
- Coordination mechanism in the field of drugs
- Drug-related research
| Year | Cyprus | EU (27 countries) | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2008 | 789 258 | 497 455 033 | Eurostat | |
| Population by age classes | 15–24 | 2008 | 15.4 % | 12.6 % 1 | Eurostat |
| 25–49 | 37.4 % | 36.3 % 1 | |||
| 50–64 | 17.3 % | 18.4 % 1 | |||
| GDP per capita in PPS (Purchasing Power Standards) 2 | 2007 | 90.7 | 100 | Eurostat | |
| Total expenditure on social protection (% of GDP) 3 | 2006 | 18.4 % | 26.9 % p | Eurostat | |
| Unemployment rate 4 | 2008 | 3.8 % | 7 % | Eurostat | |
| Unemployment rate of population agends under 25 years | 2008 | 9.7 % | 15.5 % | Eurostat | |
| Prison population rate (per 100 000 of national population) 5 | 2006 | 70.8 | Council of Europe, SPACE 2006.1 | ||
| At risk of poverty rate 6 | 2006 | 16 % | 16 % 7 | SILC, 2007 |
|
p Eurostat provisional value.
1 2007 figures.
2 Gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of economic activity. It is defined as the value of all goods and services produced less the value of any goods or services used in their creation. The volume index of GDP per capita in Purchasing Power Standards (PPS) is expressed in relation to the European Union (EU-27) average set to equal 100. If the index of a country is higher than 100, this country's level of GDP per head is higher than the EU average and vice versa.
3 Expenditure on social protection contains: benefits, which consist of transfers, in cash or in kind to households and individuals to relieve them of the burden of a defined set of risks or needs.
4 Unemployment rates represent unemployed persons as a percentage of the labour force. Unemployed persons comprise persons aged 15 to 74 who were: (a) without work during the reference week; (b) currently available for work; (c) actively seeking work.
5 Situation of penal institutions on 1 September, 2006.
6 Share of persons aged 0+ with an equivalent disposable income below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold in the current year and in at least two of the preceding three years.
7 EU-25 countries.
Drug use among the general population and young people
In 2006, a general population survey was carried out on licit and illicit substance use, and mental health issues. The sample comprised 3 504 respondents aged between 15 and 64 years who were Greek speakers. Lifetime prevalence of cannabis was reported at 6.6 % and last month prevalence at 1.4 %. Cannabis was followed by lifetime prevalence of ecstasy, reported at 1.6 %, with last month prevalence of ecstasy at 0.6 %. The mean age of cannabis experimentation is 20.1 years, earlier than with other drugs (for example, ecstasy mean age of experimentation was reported at 21.3 years, and heroin at 23.6 years). A strong relation between gender and illicit drug use was confirmed. Lifetime use of most substances was most prevalent among the population residing in a very tourist-oriented location (the Famagusta district). Cannabis use was also more prevalent among military conscripts (aged 17–21 years).
The ESPAD school survey was conducted regularly in Cyprus since 1995 among 15–16 years old. The proportion of those who admitted use of cannabis at least once in their lives (lifetime prevalence) decreased from 5 % in 1995 to 2 % in 1999, and then increased to 5 % in 2007. Lifetime prevalence of cannabis use is higher among males then females. In addition, in 2007, last year prevalence of cannabis use was 4 % and last month prevalence, 3 %. In 2007, lifetime prevalence of inhalants was reported to be 16 % and was 18 % in 2004. Reported lifetime prevalence of cocaine, amphetamines and ecstasy were all similar and rated 3 %.
Prevention
Strategic main objectives are to enhance life skills of young people, improve functioning of the family, and to inform the public and authorities about substance use and related prevention strategies. Prevention programmes in Cyprus are monitored and several prevention programmes for diverse target groups have been implemented in most counties.
In order to promote the participation of parents in prevention during 2007, health visitors provided information and counselling programmes to parents in the Maternity Protection and Child Welfare Centres. There are also prevention programmes for schoolchildren and their families at risk in the ‘Priority Action Zones’ of the country. As regards selective prevention, the programme ‘Fred goes net’ has been implemented. It targets adolescents who are first-time offenders, in connection with problem use of addictive substances (especially by the police, but also at school or at work), with early intervention measures in order to prevent progression to drug dependency. Cyprus is reshaping substantially its prevention strategy, with more focus on standardised prevention programmes, increasing attention to vulnerable groups or individuals and more attention to interventions in recreational settings.
Problem drug use
Problem drug use was calculated in Cyprus for the first time in 2004. These results could be confounded by the newly-established status of a detoxification centre, where buprenorphine is used for managing withdrawal symptoms. As this was the first time such a centre had opened in Cyprus, the results might reflect a possibility that a large number of users repeatedly requested treatment at this particular centre. Based on treatment demand data, the 2004 estimate suggests that the number of heroin users in Cyprus in 2004 was between 734 and 1 269, constituting 1.5 to 2.5 per 1 000 inhabitants aged 15–64 in Cyprus (calculation based on the Truncated Poisson model, Chao estimator). In 2007, there were estimated to be between 1.6 and 3.9 problem opioid users per 1000 inhabitants aged 15–64 (893–2 112) by two methods.
The total number of problem drug users for the same year was estimated at 1591–2541 (2.9–4.7 per 1 000 inhabitants aged 15–64).
The EMCDDA defines problem drug use as intravenous drug use (IDU) or long duration/regular drug use of opiates, cocaine and/or amphetamines. Ecstasy and cannabis are not included in this category.
Treatment demand
In 2007, all treatment centres providing treatment reported data to the Cyprus national focal point: 13 outpatient treatment centres, 3 inpatient treatment centres, and the prison services. In 2007, a total of 726 clients entered treatment, out of which 371 of all clients entered treatment for the first time. The number of persons entering treatment has generally been increasing, with a slight decrease in 2005. As regards the primary drug use of all those entering treatment in 2007, opioids continued to be the most commonly reported primary drug, at 55 %, followed by cannabis at 29.5 % and cocaine at 13.2 %. Among new treatment clients, a similar distribution was identified, at 46.1 % for opioids, 41.2 % for cannabis and 11.1 % for cocaine.
In 2007, 31 % of all clients entering treatment were aged less than 25 years. A higher percentage of young clients was observed among new treatments, with 36 % being under the age of 25. As regards gender distribution among all clients entering treatment in 2007, 90 % were male and 10 % were female. This distribution was also similar among first-time treatment clients.
Drug-related infectious diseases
According to data provided by nine therapeutic centres in 2007, 0 % of the users who contacted treatment agencies reported being HIV positive. Among intravenous drug users with a valid test result, 34.3 % out of 102 of IDUs were found positive for hepatitis C (29.6 % in 2006). Among intravenous drug users seeking treatment in 2007, 7.8 % (same sample size) of those intravenous treatment seekers who reported being tested were found positive for hepatitis B. However, the above results should be treated with caution as the data coverage is low.
Drug-related deaths
Recording of drug-related deaths was implemented for the first time in 2004. No data is available for previous years. In 2007, 12 direct drug-related deaths were recorded (compared to7 in 2006, 9 in 2005 and 14 in 2004). As regards the distribution by age and sex, the majority were young men (11 cases) with a mean age of 28.7. All deaths were registered by the Cyprus police, who cooperate closely with the National Laboratory, which is tasked with confirming the deaths through toxicological examinations.
Treatment responses
The Cyprus Anti-Drugs Council (CAC) is the supreme national body responsible for the drafting, coordination and monitoring of the implementation of the National Drug Strategy. The council is also responsible for the coordination of governmental as well as non-governmental drug care services. Funding for governmental drug treatment services is derived from the public budget, while the NGOs depend partially on funding from the CAC and partially on funding from private sponsors. In 2007, there were 10 counselling centres, two of them targeting adolescents and young adults, 17 outpatient programmes, and a drug rehabilitation programme in the central prison. Two detoxification programmes (a governmental and a private clinic) provide detoxification services in an outpatient or inpatient basis. Harm reduction in the form of substitution/maintenance is also provided by a governmental unit in Nicosia and Limassol, as well as by a private clinic, either on an outpatient or inpatient basis.
According to Regulation 160/79, substitution treatment can be initiated by specialised medical doctors and through treatment centres, although to date, only treatment centres officially provide opioid substitution treatment.
Harm reduction responses
The development of strategies to reduce drug-related harm is coordinated by the Cyprus Anti-Drugs Council. Main actors responsible for organising and implementing harm reduction programmes include the various departments of the Ministry of Health, such as the National AIDS programme and the Mental Health Services. Apart from a new buprenorphine clinic opened in 2007, there are no other harm reduction programmes available in Cyprus. As regards syringe provision, it must be noted that pharmacies in Cyprus sometimes provide free syringes. Further, ‘Stochos’, the harm reduction programme which began offering safer use training and information in 2006, also started to provide clean syringes to drug users in 2007. This service offer remained, however, practically unused. In 2008, an initial discussion round on the implementation of harm reduction interventions in recreational settings was held in Nicosia. This was coordinated by the CAC and formed part of the drafting of the new Drug Strategy 2009–12 and included various stakeholders, including the Youth Board of Cyprus, related NGOs, the Ministry of Interior and representatives of the leisure industry.
Drug markets and drug-related offences
According to the Drug Law Enforcement Unit, Cyprus is the final destination of all drugs seized. This may be due to its geographic location at the crossroads of three continents, and its regular connections by air and sea with European, Middle-Eastern and African destinations, its advanced telecommunications system and its popularity as a holiday resort. According to the seizures made by the police, illegal drugs, particularly cannabis (herb and resin), ecstasy and heroin enter the Republic of Cyprus from the Turkish-occupied area of the island. The countries of origin of other illicit substances are Greece, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Turkey and Bulgaria. All seizures are made and recorded by the Drug Law Enforcement Unit of the Cyprus police. The unit cooperates directly with Customs and the Coastguard by having a sub-unit attached to each of these authorities.
In 2007, a significant increase can be noted in the number of herbal cannabis seizures and a slight increase in the number of cocaine seizures when compared to 2006. In 2007, a total of 629 seizures were reported for herbal cannabis whereas in 2006, a total of 373 herbal cannabis seizures were reported. As for the number of cocaine seizures in 2007, there were a total of 74 cocaine seizures whereas in 2006 there were a total of 61 cocaine seizures. A decrease in the number of seizures was reported in 2007 for cannabis resin and cannabis plant, heroin, amphetamines and ecstasy. In 2007, a significant decrease was also reported for the quantity of ecstasy seizures when compared to 2006, with a total of 3 475 seized ecstasy tablets in 2007 and a total of 8 411 seized ecstasy tablets in 2006. Additionally, in 2007, an increase was reported in the quantity of seized herbal cannabis and cannabis plants as compared to 2006. In 2007, a total of 148 kg of herbal cannabis was seized and a total of 413 cannabis plants were seized.
Additionally, in 2006, small amounts of anabolic steroids, ephedrine and benzodiazepines were detected in Cyprus.
National drug laws
Penalties for drug use in Cyprus range up to life imprisonment for class A and class B drugs, and up to eight years’ imprisonment for class C drugs. Possession is regarded as a serious criminal offence, and since drug trafficking involves possession and sale, the same penalties also apply for this offence. In 2003, limits on quantities for personal use were introduced, whereby possession of a quantity of a substance above the assigned limit may lead to the presumption that the person intended sale of the substance. The limits include three or more cannabis plants, 30 or more grams of cannabis or its products and 10 or more grams of prepared cocaine or opium (or its derivatives). On the basis of 2008 data, no significant changes were made with respect to this law.
National drug strategy
Cyprus’ national drug strategy 2004–08 was adopted in 2004 and has been implemented through two action plans 2004–08, respectively focusing on drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction. These plans specified the objectives, actions and responsibilities in both fields. The national drug strategy 2004–08 was comprehensive and focused on licit and illicit substances. It aimed to improve the quality and efficiency of responses in relation to drugs and drug addiction, to create clear and coherent options that reflect practical reality in Cyprus, and to stimulate a range of actions and initiatives in relation to drugs. Following assessment of the 2004–08 National Strategy by experts from the University of Hamburg, Germany, and taking necessary changes into consideration, the 2009–12 National Strategy has been drafted and its implementation is currently under way.
Coordination mechanism in the field of drugs
The Cyprus Anti-Drugs Council is the authority responsible for the coordination and monitoring of all actions against drugs. The Council is presided over by the Minister of Health, and has the Chairperson of the Cyprus Youth Board as Vice-President. The other members are seven experts nominated by the Council of Ministers.
The Council’s major duties are to plan, coordinate and monitor the implementation of the national drug strategy, through the formation of networks, ad hoc committees and regular meetings of all stakeholders.
Horizontal inter-ministerial coordination is carried out by the National Drugs Committee, presided over by the President of the Republic and composed of six ministers: Health, Interior, Justice and Public Order, Education and Culture, Labour and Social insurance, and Defence.
Drug-related research
The national drug strategy and its action plan acknowledge the role of information collection, scientific evaluation and research. Drug-related research is mainly carried out by academic centres and by the national focal point itself. Assessing the effectiveness of prevention programmes and evaluating the national action plan are amongst the main areas of interest, but epidemiological research in the general population and in specific target groups is also a priority. The national focal point collects information on ongoing research from all relevant actors and disseminates drug-related research findings through its National report, dedicated website, library and monthly newsletter. Recent drug-related studies mentioned in the 2008 Cypriot National report mainly focused on aspects related to responses to the drug situation with an emphasis on a national study on the social costs of illicit drugs.