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The consumption of these drugs has skyrocketed by 480% in France

undefined undefined 26 février 2026 undefined 20h00

undefined undefined 27 février 2026 undefined 16h49

The Editor

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While cannabis remains the most commonly used drug in France, a new study from the French Observatory for Drugs and Addictive Trends (OFDT) reveals that two other substances have been rising in popularity in recent years, to the point where their consumption has skyrocketed exponentially.

In recent years, studies are clear, we are seeing a global increase in drug consumption, both in France and across the rest of Europe. While here, the stars remain cannabis and cocaine, a new illicit substance has made a noteworthy comeback in the consumption habits of the French over the last decade: methylenedioxymethamphetamine, better known by the sweet name MDMA.


The New Must-Have at Parisian Parties

For a few years now, a little tablet has made a grand return to the dance floors of clubs and festivals in France: ecstasy (in its pill form), or MDMA when found in powder or crystal form. A synthetic drug created in the 1980s, t

was popular until the 90s before experiencing a decline in demand for about twenty years.

However, since the 2010s, it has made a big comeback on the scene, to the point that between 2010 and 2023, its consumption has simply soared by 480%, according to a recent study published by the OFDT. In the last year alone, no less than 65.6 million tablets have been consumed across the country. But then, what explains this ?


An Ubiquitous Supply

Various factors help us understand the expansion of the MDMA empire. On one hand, there's a local production. Indeed, unlike some substances like cannabis, which are often produced on the other side of the world, the ecstasy lab is in Europe, especially in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Belgium, a neighboring country of France, which allows for a quick and cost-effective supply, but also an increasingly pure drug production.

On the one hand, there's a financial adaptability that allows everyone to find their place. Indeed, even though the price of MDMA hasn't dropped in recent years, the various forms available allow for fractional sales and decreasing prices, making it easier to buy and consume. To top it all off, experts highlight the "festive" image of this drug, which doesn't require injection or inhalation, giving a sense of less danger. Wrongly so, of course.