By Fiona McFarlane
The latest European wastewater analysis has been released and paints a fascinating portrait of the nation’s relationship with recreational substances, confirming what many had long suspected about Austrian habits: the country loves a little indulgence, but always within reasonable limits.
The analysis examined traces of five substances – cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines, methamphetamines, and MDMA – measuring their concentration in wastewater across various Austrian cities and a total of 128 European cities. These measurements, expressed in milligrams per day per 1,000 inhabitants, offer remarkable insights into regional consumption patterns and cultural differences across the country.
Substance Levels Across Austrian Cities (mg/day/1,000 inhabitants)
|
City |
Cocaine |
Cannabis |
Amphetamines |
Methamphetamines |
MDMA |
|
Vienna |
444 |
87 |
42 |
29 |
21 |
|
Innsbruck |
523 |
79 |
16 |
9 |
23 |
|
Kufstein |
642 |
74 |
16 |
1 |
9 |
|
Salzburg |
280 |
51 |
24 |
5 |
9 |
|
Graz |
333 |
66 |
50 |
6 |
16 |
|
Purgstall |
66 |
39 |
16 |
11 |
24 |
|
Ried im Innkreis |
96 |
58 |
102 |
9 |
6 |
|
Klagenfurt |
311 |
43 |
7 |
1 |
10 |
Vienna: The Capital of Moderation
Vienna emerged as an embodiment of “the middle way” – a fitting metaphor for a city that has historically bridged East and West. With cocaine traces measuring about 444 mg per day per 1,000 inhabitants, Vienna sits comfortably in Europe’s mid-tier, more thrill-seeking than the Eastern European cities of Prague (502 mg) and Budapest (312 mg), yet well below Western hotspots like Antwerp (nearly 2,000 mg) or Amsterdam (over 1,200 mg). Where Vienna did stand out nationally is in cannabis consumption (87 mg), claiming the highest spot in Austria
Alpine Highs in Tyrol
The mountainous western province of Tyrol presented an interesting case study with Innsbruck (523 mg) and Kufstein (642 mg) showing the highest cocaine levels in Austria. What was particularly fascinating is how different substances varied across the Alpine region. Strass im Zillertal, a small Tyrolean community, showed methamphetamine levels (16.20 mg) approaching those of Vienna but maintained modest profiles in other substances. The correlation between popular ski resorts and higher weekend measurements might be to blame, though its “peaks” remain modest hills compared to the mountains of consumption seen in tourism-heavy regions like Spain or the Netherlands.
An indulgent West Austria
An east-west phenomenon also seemed to emerge across several substances, with Vienna often topping the table in east Austria, but western cities like Innsbruck and Kufstein showing even higher measurements. Cannabis followed this pattern perfectly – with Vienna (87 mg) leading in the east but nevertheless dwarfed by Innsbruck (79 mg) and Kufstein (74 mg) – as did MDMA, where Vienna’s weekend readings (36 mg) paled in comparison to some spikes in western cities.
The Wild Card: Purgstall and Ried im Innkreis
Perhaps the most surprising finding is how some smaller communities rivalled and even exceeded urban cities for certain substances. Purgstall, with a population of just a few thousand, showed the highest MDMA reading in Austria (23.64 mg), above Vienna. Meanwhile, Ried im Innkreis, another modest-sized community, showed remarkably high amphetamine levels (101.68 mg) – more than double Vienna’s readings. This challenges the stereotype that drug use is predominantly an urban phenomenon.
Austria Compared to the Continent
What stood out most when looking at the whole study is Austria’s overall moderation compared to other cities. Belgium’s highest cocaine usage[1] was three times Austria’s peak[2], Amsterdam’s MDMA consumption was 13 times higher than Vienna[3], and Prague showed methamphetamine levels of [4]more than 14 times higher than Vienna[5], reflecting Austria’s middle-ground position – not leading the pack, but not trailing behind, either.
Each category’s results revealed a country that seemed to stand firmly in the middle ground – neither as restrictive as many Eastern European cities nor as permissive as the Western ones– almost as if to say that from Sachertorte to substances, the Austrians really do try to enjoy pleasures without going overboard.
Although not perfect, the results were nonetheless positive news for those concerned about public health and the effectiveness of Austria’s drug policy. Recent Austrian Report on Drug-related Crime.
More from Fiona McFarlane – Austria’s Proactive Response to Synthetic Drugs Surge in Europe
