The Metropolis

Analysis of London's sewage reveals that ecstasy use here is relatively HIGH

Mike Pollitt | Wednesday 29 August, 2012 12:39

●

A city’s sewage reveals traces of its citizens drug intake, and the details could give anybody interested in evidence-based drug policy some useful facts to work with. The scientific paper says:

“Raw sewage samples from 19 large European cities were collected by the participants of the study during a single week in March 2011 and analyzed for the urinary biomarkers of cocaine, amphetamine, ecstasy, methamphetamine and cannabis.”

What did we learn?

“High per capita ecstasy loads were measured in Dutch cities, as well as in Antwerp and London.”

As mashed as Antwerp!? Well well.

There’s more on this story at Science Daily. The paper is from The Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), and the abstract is here.

Filed in:

Snipe Highlights

Some popular articles from past years

  1. A unique collection of photos of Edwardian Londoners
  2. An interview with Desiree Akhavan
  3. The five spookiest abandoned London hospitals
  4. Hope and despair in Woolwich town centre
  5. Silencing the Brick Lane curry touts could be fatal for the city's self-esteem
  6. Punk brewery just as sexist and homophobic as the industry they rail against
  7. Number of people using Thames cable car plunges
  8. Diary of the shy Londoner
  9. The best church names in London, and where they come from
  10. Margaret Thatcher statue rejected by public