London has the highest cocaine use in Europe, according to the report (Picture: pashapixel)

London is the cocaine capital of Europe, with higher use of the drug than any other city on the continent, according to new research.

Data from the European Drug Report 2014, which analyses European sewage systems for trace chemicals, found that London’s sewage water contained high levels of benzoylecgonine – the main chemical in the illegal stimulant cocaine. Usage is apparently highest on Tuesdays.

The capital had 711mg of the substance per 1,000 people, almost double that of its closest rival Amsterdam, which had 393mg.

The samples, which were taken over a week period in 2013 in 42 different European cities, aimed to give a broad idea of drug use across the continent.




Cocaine and ecstasy were more popular in the west of Europe, while eastern Europeans appeared to prefer crystal meth.

However, despite the high levels in the sewage, overall cocaine use is down in London since use of the drug hit a peak in 2008.

But the report warned of the ‘new threats’ posed by synthetic legal highs as an alternative to more established illegal drugs, with more than 80 new substances identified during 2013, bringing the total found over the last four years to 250.

The report talked of the changing market and the challenges posed not just to public health, but to European anti-drug police.

‘The open sale of ‘legal highs’ on the internet appears to have increased their availability to distributors and consumers,’ said the report.

‘In addition, purchasing new and “old” drugs via “darknets” – underground, online networks permitting anonymous communication – represents a new challenge to law enforcement.’