Alexandrina C.
Executive Summary and Global Context
The global drug market, particularly drug trafficking, is facing a wide range of developments and an unprecedented acceleration. According to the “World Drug Report (2026)” published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), approximately 331 million people worldwide used at least one illicit substance during 2025—representing an increase of up to 34% compared to 2015 figures. Given this context, the “issue of illicit drug trafficking and drug use” involves not only a quantitative escalation but also reflects a profound change in the modus operandi regarding production, distribution, and consumption.
On a global scale, the European continent, as well as the European Union—as the relevant supranational body for the region—can be viewed as occupying an increasingly problematic dual position, being considered both a destination market and a transit corridor. From a pragmatic perspective, “The European Drug Report (2026)” compiled by the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) estimates 7,600 deaths, as a result of overdose, across EU member states in 2024, while also noting that approximately 19% of European users purchase illicit substances through social media platforms.
In the case of Romania, which has long been classified as a “transit country” along the Balkan drug corridor, we can observe a shift toward the status of an “emerging consumer market”. Regarding this transition, we can highlight the results of the work by the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), which reports an increase of up to 27.12% in organized crime cases, considered “resolved cases” in 2025, compared to 2024—of the total resolved cases, a significant proportion was accounted for by drug trafficking offenses (approximately 81.72%, equivalent to 13,451 cases). From data published by the National Anti-Drug Agency (ANA), we can observe a decrease in the age of first use, currently recorded at the 10–11-year-old age group, and note that over 81% of individuals undergoing treatment are under 35 years of age.
In other words, the proliferation of synthetic substances, the use of digital platforms for drug trafficking, and the fragmentation and proliferation of traditional supply chains are impacting—both globally and locally—traditional tools of enforcement, law enforcement, and especially prevention, which are now considered ineffective.
1. Some Key Points on the European and Balkan Regional Context
Based on the EUDA’s “European Drug Report (2026),” which classifies the current European drug market as “highly diversified” and “adapted to the needs of drug production and consumption,” we can identify the new characteristics of the transformation of the European-Balkan corridor into an “emerging hub for drug consumption and trafficking,” namely: the expansion of production capacities for amphetamine-type stimulants (such as MDMA—3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine); significant cocaine imports, facilitated through major ports such as Antwerp, Rotterdam, or Barcelona; the development of new psychoactive substances—up to 755 new compounds identified by the UNODC; and the normalization of patterns of multiple-substance use (polydrug use), particularly among adolescents and young adults.
Also in light of the report issued by the EUDA, which refers to European seaports as “hubs” for illicit drug trafficking routes, the vulnerabilities of large-scale cargo flows are highlighted, noting that Southeast Europe remains the “main land corridor” for heroin originating from Afghanistan and Myanmar, along the so- so-called “Balkan route” toward consumer markets in Western Europe. New functions have also been identified in this corridor, such as regional transnational trafficking organizations that operate “multi-commodity networks,” simultaneously distributing cocaine, cannabis, and synthetic stimulants for local consumption.
In this regard, Europol’s operations from 2025 to 2026 against the “Balkan Cartel” demonstrated the sophistication and scale of these non-state entities operating in an organized manner at the transnational level, while also illustrating the resilience of trafficking structures and substructures in the face of targeted interventions by law enforcement agencies. Economic disparities, fragmented decisions by policymakers, and developments in the digitization of informal economies have contributed to the vulnerability of young people in Southeast Europe, both in terms of drug use and their susceptibility to recruitment by organized trafficking networks.
2. Romania: From Transit Corridor to Consumer Market
At the national level, DIICOT operations throughout 2025 to seize illicit drugs and psychoactive substances—originating predominantly from distribution networks in Western Europe—reflect a Romania undergoing a transformation from a “transit point” to a “distribution hub.”
At the same time, the issue of drug use among Romanian adolescents encompasses multiple patterns, a fact that distinguishes it from Western European trends. For example, as mentioned earlier, the reported age of first use—ranging from 10 to 11 years old—is among the lowest among EU member states, indicating an acute lack of preventive measures targeting elementary school students. At the same time, new methods of using e-cigarettes as vehicles for drug use have been identified, through which substances—including cannabis and synthetic stimulants—are vaporized and consumed on school grounds without being detected.
According to data from the “European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs” (ESPAD) for 2024, 6% of Romanian adolescents aged 15 to 16 reported having used at least one illicit substance, placing Romania below the EU average (13%), though the trend is on the rise. As for the “poly-substance use pattern” (the simultaneous or sequential use of multiple substances), this is becoming a common pattern of use among young Romanians living in urban centers —a fact that exacerbates the challenges in managing clinical symptoms and the potential for harm at the individual or societal level, given that interactions such as those between cannabis, new psychoactive substances, and/or alcohol are not widely understood or explained to the general public.
From the perspective of the factors driving the drug crisis in Romania, particularly among the youth population, we can highlight phenomena such as standard of living (with poverty having a significant impact), patriarchal polarization (widespread in post-industrial and rural communities), the persistence of certain psycho-emotional states among adolescents (increased rates of anxiety, depression, and even self-harm), as well as unrestricted access to digital markets for illicit substances (via Telegram, TikTok, the Dark Web, and even Facebook).
3. Projections on Short- and Medium-Term Impacts
Based on data provided by ANA, over 70% of young people hospitalized for drug-related conditions over the past five years are under 35 years old. Emergency departments in major urban centers—Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and Iași—report a significant increase in emergency psychiatric admissions associated with psychotic episodes induced primarily by the use of synthetic drugs, particularly among people under 20 years of age.
Academic performance is tangibly disrupted, with neurological research highlighting the cognitive impact of illicit substance dependence even following early-onset use. School dropout rates in the affected local centers contribute to the deterioration of indicators of academic performance and continuity. The correlation between adolescent drug use and involvement in criminal activities—spanning all stages, from minor offenses to active participation in distribution networks—establishes a factual reality, confirmed by criminological literature and corroborated by data from DIICOT’s operational activities.
According to official reports, the EU as a whole is facing an increase in overdose deaths and acute pressures associated with organized crime in the area of drug trafficking—effects that could also materialize in Romania, despite the fact that reported consumption rates are below the EU average. In other words, the gap between reported and actual consumption in Romania could narrow rapidly.
Therefore, we can highlight several medium- and long-term consequences resulting from the lack of response by policymakers and state actors regarding the issue of “drug trafficking and consumption”:
Table no. 1. The main areas and medium -long-term effects of drug use among young people. (author’s own work based on the review of the primary sources consulted in conducting this research)
4. Conclusions
Currently, Romania occupies an uncertain position in the global drug market. The consolidation of regional organized trafficking networks, along with internal and external vulnerability factors, is exacerbating a drug crisis among Romanian (as well as European) youth that is no longer in its early stages but is now taking shape and causing harm.
Based on official documents provided by international and national agencies combating cross-border crime, we can understand that, in the absence of substantial contributions from civic engagement and public policy—as a result of inaction—there will be rising costs in the areas of health, education, the labor market, security, and public order, in a way that is difficult to reverse.
As such, investing in prevention, strengthening medical infrastructure, and building a coherent security framework are not merely alternatives, but constitute solid foundations for revitalizing the development potential of future generations.
The primary sources that were consulted in conducting this analysis are:
- Brussels Times (2025). EU faces rising drug overdose deaths and trafficking woes, new report warns: https://www.brusselstimes.com/eu-affairs/2181243/eu-faces-rising-drug-overdose-deaths-and-trafficking-woes-new-report-warns, accessed on July 10, 2026.
- Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT). Annual Activity Report (2025): https://diicot.ro/mass-media/6108-prezentarea-raportului-de-activitate-d-i-i-c-o-t-pentru-anul-2025, accessed on July 10, 2026.
- European Union Drug Agency (EUDA). European Drug Report (2026): The Situation of Drugs in Europe up to 2026: https://www.euda.europa.eu/publications/european-drug-report/2026/drug-situation-in-europe-up-to-2026_en, accessed on July 10, 2026.
- European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). Seaports: Monitoring the EU’s entry points for illicit drugs: https://www.euda.europa.eu/publications/joint-publications-including-eu-drug-markets/seaports-monitoring-eu-floodgates-illicit-drugs_en, accessed on July 10, 2026.
- European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). European Drug Report (2025). Trends and Developments: https://www.euda.europa.eu/publications/european-drug-report/2025_en, accessed on July 10, 2026.
- European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD Report – 2024): https://www.euda.europa.eu/publications/data-factsheets/espad-2024-key-findings_ro, accessed on July 10, 2026.
- European External Action Service (EEAS). EU Statement on the publication of the UNODC World Drug Report 2026: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/vienna-international-organisations/eu-statement-occasion-launch-unodc-2026-world-drug-report-26-june-2026_en, accessed on July 10, 2026.
- Europol. Operations against the “Balkan Cartel” (2025–2026): https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/europol-supported-operation-takes-down-key-figures-of-balkan-cartel-in-germany, accessed on July 10, 2026.
- Friday Times. Underneath the Global War on Drugs: Profits, Power and Narcoterrorism (June 27, 2026): https://www.thefridaytimes.com/27-Jun-2026/underneath-global-war-drugs-profits-power-narcoterrorism, accessed on July 10, 2026.
- MediaFax. Highest rates of drug use in Romania among people aged 15–34: https://www.mediafax.ro/social/cele-mai-mari-rate-de-consum-de-droguri-in-romania-la-categoria-15-34-de-ani -21626579, accessed on July 10, 2026.
- TVR Info. Romania’s drug use is below the EU average, but the statistics hide growing risks (June 10, 2026): https://tvrinfo.ro/romania-sub-media-ue-la-consumul-de-droguri-dar-cu-riscuri-tot-mai-mari-ascunse-in-statistici/, accessed on July 10, 2026.
- United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). World Drug Report (2026): https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/WDR_2026/WDR26_Highlights.pdf, accessed on July 10, 2026.
Cover page credits: Colin Davis via Unsplash. For illustrative purposes only.
Alexandrina C. is a researcher at Strategic Dialogue for Global Affairs Initiative.