Drugs and climate change: knowledge gaps in monitoring environmental impacts of drugs
Background
Environmental damage related to the entire supply chain of drugs is gaining attention and importance as a key feature of societal impact of drug markets. While some detailed and fragmented information on the different aspects of possible environmental harms caused by different drugs exist, a clear conceptual framework describing all parameters defining these harms is lacking.
Methods
Open source information and systematic literature reviews within the work of the EUDA monitoring activities on drug production, have led to a build up on data and literature on environmental impacts of drugs.
Results
Drug production in Europe is mainly centered around cannabis cultivation (indoor as well as outdoor) and the production of synthetic drugs and their precursors. Further, laboratories related to the production of synthetic cathinones and for the extraction of cocaine and heroin are found in smaller numbers. The legal markets of cannabis in Canada and the United States have generated an ideal platform for scientists to calculate the possible environmental impacts of commercial cannabis production: indoor production is characterized as using large amounts of energy and water use and the generation of air pollution. Outdoor production may cause deforestation and water pollution due to the use of pesticides and fertilizers.
Synthetic drugs can be produced using a number of different production techniques, involving a range of different chemical precursor substances. These methods may involve the use of chemicals and processes that are inherently bad for the environment. Furthermore, the waste generated by the production process (which takes place on a fairly large scale in the EU) is often dumped, causing environmental harm, and risk to public health and safety. The dumping of waste continues to be a growing problem as criminals become more and more creative to conceal their actions. In this regard, wastewater and groundwater analysis has indicated the possible harms caused by the dumping of synthetic drug production waste in Europe.
In drug-producing regions all over the world a range of harms are associated with the cultivation of drug crops, primarily cannabis, coca bush and opium poppies, but also ephedra plants. In addition to the dumping of waste materials from production, threatening fragile ecosystems, the extensive cultivation of these crops leads to a range of harms, including deforestation and erosion.
Conclusions
The regulatory changes in cannabis policy on a global level, have given a boost to accessible data on the possible environmental impacts of cannabis production. At the same time, similar data for all other drugs remain fragmented and understudied. While we have a clear view on possible damage pathways of drug production, such as deforestation, air and soil pollution, energy use and land cover change, there is a lack of knowledge on the extent and impact it has from macro to microlevel on our environment and climate change.
