The EMCDDA surveyed the 28 EU member states along with Norway and Turkey for its study. Although data on Hungary is relatively old -- most of the data in the EMCDDA’s report are from 2007 -- drug use is far less common than in the UK or Denmark, the two countries with the highest lifetime prevalence rates in Europe.

The report said 0.4-0.5 out of 1,000 people in Hungary have used opiates such as heroine in their life, while the same rate is 7.9-8.4 in the UK. Denmark is the leading country in cocaine consumption, with 10.3% of the population having tried the drug at some point in their life. About 0.9% of Hungarians have tried cocaine. Cocaine use is least prevalent in Malta and Ukraine, where 0.5% have tried it.

The UK tops the table in amphetamine use with 10.3% of Britons having experimented with it. In Hungary, lifetime prevalence for the drug is 1.8%. Demand for amphetamines is lowest in Greece and Turkey with just 0.1% of the population having used it.

The UK is also at the top of the list in ecstasy use with a lifetime prevalence rate of 9.2% compared with Hungary’s 2.4%. Turkey closes out the field with a 0.1% prevalence rate. Denmark is the biggest cannabis consumer, with 35.6% of the adult population having tried the drug.

Cannabis was far less popular in Hungary, where the prevalence rate is 8.5%. Turkey placed last with a 0.7 prevalence rate.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.