Saturday, April 5, 2025
A new study has confirmed what many have already suspectedโdrug use in the Czech Republic is increasing.
According to wastewater analysis conducted by the TG Masaryk Water Research Institute (VรV), cocaine is the most common drug in Prague and Pilsen.
At the same time, methamphetamine (pervitin) dominates in รstรญ nad Labem and Ostrava. The study also found that marijuana use is rising, with its presence in public spaces becoming more visible, particularly in Prague.
Gone are the days when smoking a joint was done in secret; today, the scent of marijuana is replacing cigarette smoke on the streets of the capital. However, how do scientists identify which drugs are being consumed and where? The solution was discovered in the wastewater analysisโnovel, anonymous, and highly accurate for gazing at national drug consumption patterns.
How Scientists Track Drug Use Through Wastewater
Each year, researchers take wastewater samples from large Czech cities and test them for traces of drugs. It is a straightforward, objective way to see what people are using. The data is then sent to the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA), allowing comparisons with other countries.
โThe method provides an objective and anonymous view of drug consumption in the population. Thanks to it, we know which substances are the most popular and where their use is most widespread,โ explains Vฤra Oฤenรกลกkovรก, the project leader at VรV.
However, why donโt scientists sample unknown wastewater in one day? The reason is that peopleโs behaviour is different during the week. Friday and Saturday nights are party nights, and Mondays are recovery and sleep days. Scientists sample wastewater throughout a week to determine the best estimate of drug use.
The collected samples are then analysed using a liquid chromatograph โ a state-of-the-art device worth CZK 15 million.
This device can accurately detect what substances have flowed through the cityโs sewers. One analysis takes about two hours and provides a detailed overview of the presence of various drugs.
Drug map of the Czech Republic
In Prague alone, several kilograms of cocaine are flushed down the drain every weekโequivalent to hundreds of thousands of individual doses. Addiction specialist Michal Miovskรฝ believes this information is crucial for law enforcement and public health efforts.
โBased on this data, authorities can determine where drug trafficking is most active and where prevention efforts should be focused,โ he explains.
Prague remains the epicentre of cocaine use, but high concentrations were also found in Pilsen, Brno, and ฤeskรฉ Budฤjovice.
Marijuana is the most prevalent and accepted substance in the Czech Republic. โMarijuana stays in the body for a long time, which is why its levels tend to be high in wastewater,โ explains Kateลina Grohmannovรก from the National Drug Monitoring Centre.
The highest levels of marijuana use were recorded in ฤeskรฉ Budฤjovice, Pilsen, and Prague, though significant concentrations were also found in Brno, Karlovy Vary, Ostrava, and รstรญ nad Labem. According to experts, marijuana popularity is universal among generations, with no change in consumption patterns over time.
Ketamine is increasing, particularly in Prague, รstรญ nad Labem, Brno, and Pilsen. The increasing trend of ketamine is something to worry about because the abuse of the drug has severe health implications. The death of actor Matthew Perry, in which ketamine was involved, has put its risks in the spotlight again.
Pervitin: The Czech Republicโs Long-Standing Meth Problem
Pervitin has long been a significant issue in the Czech Republic. It remains most common in รstรญ nad Labem and Ostrava, regions that face significant socio-economic difficulties. The drugโs low price and easy availability make it particularly appealing.
Three years ago, pervitin was even detected in wastewater samples taken from schools in the Chomutov region, indicating that children under the age of 15 are experimenting with the drug. The study also found high levels of pervitin use in Pilsen, ฤeskรฉ Budฤjovice, and Brno.
Ecstasy: The Weekend Party Drug
Ecstasy (MDMA) remains a favourite among partygoers, with the highest levels found in Prague and Ostrava, followed by Pilsen, Brno, and ฤeskรฉ Budฤjovice. Unlike other drugs, ecstasy use is seasonal and peaks on weekends, which is reflected in the wastewater dataโconcentrations of MDMA spike on Fridays and Saturdays, then drop significantly during the week.
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Sport has the power to unite people, bridging cultures and fostering a sense of belonging. In Prague, one club is doing just thatโGalaksia Praha 23.
Since its founding in June 2023, Galaksia Praha 23 has grown into a dynamic football community, bringing together players and coaches from more than 30 nationalities.
With over 60 active members, the club fosters inclusivity through a shared love of football, transcending borders and backgrounds.
One of its biggest achievements to date is securing a spot in the Czech League of Football for the 2025/2026 season, where it will compete from the 9th tier.
This marks a steady rise in the domestic football scene. Over the past two seasons in the Hanspaulka league, Galaksia has earned three promotions across two teams, underlining its competitive drive.
Beyond league success, the club has made waves in tournaments. It claimed victory at the 2024 Summer Soccer Festival in Brno and notched an impressive beach soccer win against a Sparta Prague sideโclear signs of its growing influence in Czech football.
Expanding its reach beyond football, the club also offers weekly English-speaking 3ร3 indoor basketball sessions on Wednesdays and Thursdays, welcoming players from all backgrounds. This initiative reflects Galaksiaโs broader commitment to community engagement and diversity in sports.
Galaksia Praha 23 also partners with Bites of India, an Indian restaurant in Prague, reinforcing its multicultural ethos both on and off the field.
Actively recruiting new talent, the club holds trial sessions every two weeks for two players. A larger trial round is set for Saturday, May 10, at 14:00 at Stadion Na Pecรญch (FK Admira grounds), offering aspiring players a chance to be part of this growing football family.
More than just a club, Galaksia Praha 23 embodies the power of sport to unite people from all walks of life. To get involved, follow them on Instagram or Facebook.
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A wave of new bone marrow donors has joined the Czech registry, moved by the story of two-year-old Madlenka.
Over the past ten days, more than 6,000 people have registered as bone marrow donors in Czechiaโhalf the number usually recorded in an entire year.
In 2023, the total number of new donors was around 12,000, yet this unprecedented surge took place in just a few days, largely thanks to Madlenkaโs father, who shared her story online.
Madlenka, a two-year-old girl, is battling aplastic anemia, a serious condition that affects bone marrow function.
Her search for a compatible donor has touched the hearts of thousands, prompting people across the country to sign up. Doctors and medical staff continue to process samples, including those sent from plasma centers and transfusion stations. The donor drive will run across Czechia until the end of April.
For those unable to donate due to age restrictions, thereโs still a way to help. A fundraising campaign has been launched to cover the costs of donor registration and collection. As of Friday evening, donations had surpassed 850,000 CZK.
The surge in registrations has been visible across the country. In Brno alone, 580 people signed up yesterday.
Over the past weekend, long lines of volunteers formed outside Pragueโs IKEM hospital, where on-site donor recruitment is ongoing until noon each weekday. Today, registration events are also taking place in Domaลพlice, Zlรญn, Brno, and Znojmo.