International - Spain

Spain - Data

(2007 - Spain - lifetime drug use) "In 2007, 27.3% of the sample reported lifetime use of cannabis, followed by cocaine (8.3 %), ecstasy (4.2 %) and amphetamines (3.8 %). In 2007, last year prevalence of cannabis was 10.1 % (11.2 % in 2005), and last month prevalence, 7.1 %. Between 2003 and 2007, use of tobacco fell. The proportion of monthly and daily users of alcohol fell. However, there was a rise in the proportion of young females who get drunk. The use of sedatives (tranquilisers and/or sleeping pills) increased, from 5.1 % in 2005 to 8.6 % in 2007. Between 2005 and 2007, cannabis use fell and cocaine powder use remains stabilised, after several years of continuous increases."

(2007 - Spain - drug law offenses) "In 2007, a total of 278 797 drug law offences were reported, out of which 73.4 % were cannabis offences, followed by 17.7 % for cocaine offences and 3.1 % for heroin offences."

(2006 - Spain - drug treatment) During 2006, a total of 49 283 clients entered in treatment, out of which 22 333 were first time treatment clients. Data regarding all clients entering treatment suggest that 45.1 % of all clients reported that cocaine was the primary drug, followed by 40.4 % for opioids and 10.4 % for cannabis."

(2006 - Spain - deaths from acute drug reactions) "... the number of deaths due to acute reaction to drugs fell between 1999 and 2001, remained stable until 2005 at approximately 670 annual deaths and fell in 2006 to 518 deaths."

(2004 - Spain - HIV infections from intravenous drug use) "These data show that the proportion of AIDS cases infected due to intravenous drug use has declined from 69.7 % in 1990 to 46.3 % in 2004. In 2006, 1 605 cases were diagnosed which represent 43 % of which were attributed to the use of injecting drugs. The national overall prevalence of HIV infection among injecting drug users in Spain in 2006 is ranges between 36.4 % and 39.7 % with 10 262 persons tested. It is assumed that this decrease can be attributed to the improvements that have been made in the fight against drugs such as the widespread availability of maintenance treatments with methadone and the notable decrease in injections as the manner of using heroin."

(2002 - Spain - problematic opiate users) "In 2002, the number of problematic opiate users was estimated at 4.04 per 1 000 inhabitants aged 15–64, based on the treatment multiplier method."

(1999 - Spain - drug use prevalence) "Annual use prevalence of ecstasy among the Spanish population aged between 15-64 decreased from 1.3% in 1995 to 0.9% in 1997 and 0.8% in 1999, and that of amphetamines or speed dropped from 1.1% in 1995 to 0.9% in 1997 and 0.7% in 1999, LSD other hallucinogens falling from 0.9% in 1997 to 0.6% in 1999."

(1999 - Spain - lifetime cocaine use) "In 1999, 3.1% of those members of the Spanish population aged between 15 and 64 had tried cocaine at some time during their lives and 1.5% in the last year (DGPNSD 2000a). Consumption levels are appreciably higher among younger people, the 15 to 29 age interval having prevalence levels of 4.5% and 2.8% respectively for the same periods of time.

"The early ages at which cocaine use begins is confirmed by the fact that in 1998, 4.8% of Spanish students aged between 14-18 had consumed it at some time during their lives and 4.1% in the last year (DGPNSD 2000d)."

DGPNSD 2000a: Delegacion del Gobierno para el Plan Nacional Sobre Drogas, Encuesta Domiciliaria Sobre Use do Drogas 1999, Ministerio del Interior.

2000d: DGPNSD, Encuesta Sobre Drogas a Poblacion Escolar, Minsterio del Interior.

(1999 - Spain - cannabis use) "Cannabis is the most frequently used illegal drug in Spain. According to the Door-to-door Survey on Drug Abuse in 1999, 19.5% of the Spanish population aged between 15-64 had tried cannabis at some time in their lives (21.7% in 1997), 6.8% in the last year (7.5% in 1997) and 4.2% in the last month (4% in 1997). These figures give the impression that the number of sporadic users of this drug had fallen slightly, but not the number of frequent consumers (monthly or daily)."

(1999 - Spain - syringe exchange "Syringe exchange programmes and sanitary kits have also increased and covered a greater number of users. A total of 408 programmes have been operating in 1999, where 12 social emergency centres, 23 mobile units, 385 chemist's shops, and 92 other centres have participated. The total number of syringes and/or sanitary kits delivered is approximately 3,783,361."

(1999 - Spain - opiate use) "Data regarding use of heroin or opiates in Spain, provided by the National Door-to-door Survey on Drug Abuse, situate their prevalence levels in 1999, at 0.6% and 0.1% respectively, for the indicators 'at some time during their lives' and 'last month' among those members of the Spanish population who are aged over 15."

(1996 - Spain - prevalence of intravenous drug users with HIV/AIDS) "There is still a high proportion (prevalence) of intravenous drug users infected by the AIDS virus (HIV). According to the Survey on Heroin Users in Treatment, in 1996, of those heroin users admitted for treatment 77.4% had taken the VIH antibody detection test, and of these 22.7% were found to be seropositive, regardless of the pathways used to administrate the drugs. The prevalence of seropositivity to HIV was the highest (32%) among those heroin addicts who had injected drugs at some time during their lives."

Spain - Law and Policy

(Spain - drug law) "The law on protection of citizens' security (1992) considers drug consumption in public, as well as illicit possession, as a serious order offence punishable by administrative sanctions. Fines are the usual punishment, but the law foresees that the execution of the fine can be suspended if the person freely attends an official drug treatment program. For trafficking, the Spanish law lays down penalties in line with the seriousness of the health damages associated to the drugs and any aggravating and mitigating circumstances that may exist. Penalties can reach up to 20 years and three months in prison, with such long terms reserved for cases with aggravating circumstances such as sale to minors under 18, or the sale of large quantities (over 500 doses). When no such circumstances exist, those who have committed the crime can be sentenced to prison for one to three years if the drugs do not cause serious health damage, and from three to nine years when they do. In all cases, a fine is also imposed."

(Spain - drug regulatory agencies) "The 2009-2016 National Strategy on Drugs (NSD) provides the overall framework, priorities, and direction for Spain‘s drug-related efforts. NSD implementation is done through two broad coordinating mechanisms – the Ministry of Interior‘s Intelligence Center against Organized Crime (CICO in Spanish), which coordinates supply reduction initiatives, and the Ministry of Health‘s National Program for Drugs (PNsD in Spanish), which leads demand reduction initiatives."

(Spain - decriminalization of personal use) In Spain since 1992, "possession for personal use of all drugs has not been subject to criminal prosecution. Nevertheless, when a person is caught in possession of a modest quantity of drugs and police have no further suspicions or evidence that more serious offences are involved, such as sale or traffic, the drug will be seized. The case will then be transmitted to the administrative authorities, so the person will receive a notification to attend a meeting with them. If found guilty of possession of drugs for person use, they will be charged with a fine ... especially if presenting signs of addiction, the person is invited to follow counseling or treatment."

(Spain - surveillance of drug trafficking) "Spain continued to upgrade and expand its Integrated External Surveillance System (Spanish acronym SIVE), adding further mobile units and opening a central command and control center in Madrid to improve SIVE coordination and communication. This high-tech system monitors the Mediterranean and Atlantic trafficking corridors for Spain with the objective of more efficient interdiction. The additional fixed radar sites previewed in the 2009 INCSR for Tarragona and Pontevedra did not become operational in 2010. Due to the investment and maintenance costs associated with fixed radar locations, the government is prioritizing mobile unit investments."