The results of the European Web Survey on Drugs in Georgia

European Web Survey on Drugs (EWSD) is the first of its kind survey in Georgia. EWSD aimed to assess whether web surveys can complement General Population Survey through collecting data on drug use behaviors.

EWSD targeted people aged 18 and over who have used drugs in the past 12 months. Participation was anonymous and voluntary. Responses were solicited over 3-months in 2021. The questionnaire covered six substances: cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy/MDMA, amphetamines/methamphetamine, heroin, News Psychoactive Substances (NPS). Modules on different drugs were shown randomly to respondents, who said they had taken the drug(s) in the past 12 months. Data were collected using LimeSurvey. Patterns of drug use were measured by asking questions about the 1) substance use; 2) frequency of use; 3) route of consumption; 4) amount used on a regular day for each substance; and 5) drug acquisition.

More than 600 people completed the survey but only 396 individuals met eligibility criteria and were included in the final sample with a mean age of 29. Females comprised 27% of the participants, while males predominated, with 70%. Both past-year and past-month prevalence of cannabis (97% and 81%) and MDMA/ecstasy (55% and 14%) use were the highest among the participants. Out of the respondents who consumed cannabis, the majority used herbal cannabis (64.2%) with the primary motivation of relieving stress or getting high. Respondents reported only past-month use of benzodiazepines, other hallucinogens, synthetic cannabinoids, magic mushrooms, synthetic cathinones, and GHB/GBL. The majority of respondents reported using drugs at home (79%), in clubs/bars (66%), and at music festivals or parties (65%). Covid-19 pandemic affected the use of stimulants while slightly increasing the use of cannabis products (resin, herbal).

EWSD offers the possibility to collect accurate data on drug use behaviors amongst hard-to-reach populations. High-risk drug users might be underrepresented in web surveys.