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Drug and behavioral addictions are rising in Cyprus, with more young people experimenting with substances and entering treatment programs at increasingly early ages, according to a leading addiction expert.
Elena Zarouna, counseling psychologist and director of KENTHEA, said there has been a noticeable increase in drug use across the island, warning that the trend could worsen following recent large seizures of opioids.
Speaking to CNA on the occasion of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Zarouna said the drug market is expanding and changing, with new substances and stronger forms of drugs now more widely available.
Younger children entering treatment
One of the most worrying trends, she said, is the age of users seeking help.
“We are seeing children as young as 14 and 15 with serious patterns of use,” she said, adding that some are already involved in illegal activity or becoming vulnerable to exploitation in order to support their drug use.
Zarouna also noted an increase in users experiencing psychotic episodes, which she linked to stronger substances and unpredictable drug compositions.
Cannabis use has tripled since 2006
Citing data from the Cyprus Addiction Treatment Authority, she said drug experimentation has increased significantly over the past two decades.
The percentage of people aged 15 to 64 who have tried cannabis at least once has tripled from 6.6% in 2006 to 18% in 2023.
Use of substances such as cocaine, ecstasy, and LSD has also increased, while amphetamine use, which had previously declined, has returned to levels seen in the mid-2000s.
Heroin use, however, has shown a decline in lifetime use, according to the same data.
“Supply and demand” shaping the drug market
Zarouna said recent large seizures of opiates in Cyprus could signal a future rise in users, explaining that drug markets tend to follow basic supply-and-demand patterns.
“The drug market operates like any other market in economic terms,” she said.
She also pointed to wastewater analysis conducted in Cyprus as one of the most reliable tools for tracking real-time drug use trends.
According to the most recent findings, significant increases were recorded in several areas:
- Amphetamine use up over 250% in Limassol and Ayia Napa
- Methamphetamine up 287% in Ayia Napa
- Cocaine up 93% in Larnaca
- MDMA up 157% in Larnaca
- Ketamine also detected with rising presence
New drugs appearing more frequently
Cyprus is also seeing new and synthetic substances entering the market, including synthetic cannabinoids, Captagon, liquid cocaine, and others.
Zarouna said Europe is seeing an increasing flow of so-called “new psychoactive substances,” with roughly one new substance identified every week.
“These drugs are often unpredictable,” she said, warning that users may not know the strength or risks involved.
Rising concern over behavioural addictions
Beyond drugs, experts are also increasingly concerned about behavioral addictions such as gambling and online gaming.
Zarouna said many children are exposed to gambling-like mechanisms in online games, including loot boxes and reward systems that mimic betting.
“This normalizes gambling behavior from a very young age,” she said, warning that it could lead to addiction problems in adolescence.
She also highlighted a rise in vaping among teenagers, particularly among girls, noting that sweet flavors and attractive designs are contributing to increased use.
Prevention efforts across Cyprus
Zarouna stressed that prevention is key and must involve families, schools and wider society.
KENTHEA runs prevention and treatment programs across Cyprus, including education initiatives for parents, training for coaches, and support programs for vulnerable groups.
The organization also operates detox and rehabilitation services, including a new Cyprus-wide program in Paralimni, as well as support centers in Limassol, Paphos and other areas.
A national helpline for gambling addiction is also available at 1422.
A wider social issue
Zarouna said addiction is rarely caused by a single factor but rather a combination of biological, psychological, and social influences, including family environment, school performance, trauma, and peer pressure.
As Cyprus continues to see shifts in drug use patterns and rising behavioral addictions, she warned that early intervention and stronger prevention policies are becoming increasingly important.
For many families, she suggested, the issue is no longer distant, but something increasingly closer to home.
